Drifting

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For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 

Hebrews 2: 1

I want to highlight today the warning about ‘spiritual drifting’ and relay the Helps Study Notes on this word DRIFT. ~

1. 3901/pararreō ("gradually drift away") means to "lapse" into spiritual defeat, describing how we slowly move away from our moorings in Christ. Indeed "spiritual drift" is common – slowly departing from God's best by settling for mediocrity by substituting our own beliefs

Reflection: Most spiritual disasters are not from "blow-outs" . . . just slow-leaks

1. "Spiritual drifting" happens to many after they "shed the big sins" – but go on living in the flesh with "respectable" self-government. This is never acceptable to God (Is 64:6); indeed, anything done outside of faith (God's persuasion) is sin (Ro 14:23).

Reflection: Delayed obedience is still disobedience, and partial obedience is still sin!

The past few weeks we’ve looked at ‘whatever is not of faith is sin’ and then ‘men’s hearts failing them from fear’.  Understanding our need to stay rooted in Him, His word and presence, today, we find our admonition from the writer of Hebrews. 

Currently, in my studies on Hebrews, I am enjoying William Barclay’s Daily Bible Study on the book of Hebrews.  I would like to offer his explanation of this word. 

“We have two key words in this verse prosechein and pararrein.  We have taken prosechein to mean ‘to pay attention to, which is one of its commonest meanings.  Pararrein is a word of many meanings.  It is used of something flowing or slipping past; it can be used of a ring that has slipped off the finger; of a particle of food that has slipped down the wrong way; of a topic that has slipped into the conversation; of a point which has escaped someone in the course of an argument……… It is regularly used of something which has carelessly or thoughtlessly been allowed to become lost. 

But both of these words have also a nautical sense.  Prosechein can mean to moor a ship; and pararrein can be used of a ship which has been carelessly allowed to slip past a harbour or a haven becaue the mariner has forgotten to allow for the wind or the current or the tide.  So, then, this first verse could be very vividly translated: “Therefore, we must more eagerly anchor our lives to the things that we have been taught lest the ship of life drift past the harbour and be wrecked”. It is a vivid picture of a ship drifting to destruction because the pilot sleeps. “

I think we can all call to mind the story of the ten virgins, the five wise keeping sufficient oil to light their lamps upon the announcement of the bridegroom coming and the five foolish ones, who have neglected to provide for themselves enough for the moment and are shut out as they try to gather but are too late.   

We are not to be like those caught unaware! 

• ‘But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief.' 1 Thessalonians 5: 4

• ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life— and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth.…’ Luke 21:33-34

• ‘I have told you these things so that you will not stumble or be caught off guard and fall away’. John 16:1 AMPC

For this reason (Hebrews further exhorts) because the message we have heard was declared first by the Lord, attested by others, confirmed with signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His will; for this reason, if (and it did) every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution under the law, how shall we, under the new covenant, escape if we neglect such a great salvation?  

There is a reason we are to live daily feeding and abiding in Him.  When Jesus returns He returns as the righteous judge.  

We must therefore, with very special intensity, pay attention to the things we have heard so we do not drift! 

Failing Hearts

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the seas and waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world.  For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Luke 21:25-26

Isaiah 8:1 for the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread.  But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honour as holy.  Let him be your fear and let him be your dread. 

Afghanistan, Haiti, Covid variant, potential vaccine passport requirement, wild fires, all  heighten our awareness of last days with the imminent return of our Lord and our need to be ready. 

Bishop Ellicott’s commentary notes state ~ Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (26) Men’s hearts failing them for fear.—The verb so rendered is used by St. Luke only in the New Testament. Its literal meaning is to breathe out the soul, and it was, therefore, a word which would naturally enter into the vocabulary of a physician, both in its primary and figurative sense. The mental state which it expresses exactly agrees with that described in Acts 27:20, in connection with the tempest.

For looking after those things.—Literally, ‘for expectation’, the noun being used only by St. Luke in the New Testament.

The writer of Hebrews tells us one solution to “failing of hearts’  is the assembling of the body, not forsaking it and exhorting one another to remain assembled.  While we understand the natural application of this, I want to consider with you the spiritual aspects of assembling the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”   Hebrews 10:25 

If Satans’ great tactic is to divide and conquer us individually, it is because it ultimately impacts the assembly of the body of Christ, his church. It is from our own place of fear and need for control, we live from a place of self preservation, guarded and aloof from His body as opposed to a trust in our Father and from others.  Let’s note ~ hearts fail from fear.

Ephesians tells us that the body grows and increases in love as each part does it share.  Paul wrote also to the Corinthians that every part is a member individually with each part set as it pleases God.  Every part is divinely connected to another forming the whole body fitly framed for the temple of the Lord to dwell in. We are individual members not independent ones.

There is a deception that lies within the church today; that we can be something solely with God, yet without others.  The hurt, the offence, the unforgiveness, bitterness, strife and envy, work to keep us divided. Fear is a strategy of the evil one.  Hearts fail from fear. This is common to all of us, but hearts must be healed through a willingness to humble ourselves to His word and each other for the purpose of remaining one body, united by one Spirit with one Lord who is over all and in all. 

Somehow, I sense that in this assembling, we will find our greatest safety in the days ahead, spiritually as well as naturally.  Lives threatened and hanging in the balance cry out for help. “All who believed were together and had all things in common”.  In the midst of the Lord adding daily to his church, we see great persecution.

Today, it’s in the unity of the local body that He has placed us, we are collectively guarded, kept, watched over and prayed for.   In our submission to one another out of reverence for Christ, we find community as our safe place. As our future unfolds, we truly do not know what we will face, except the potential for greater restrictions and hardships for His church, demanding our need for a community already established with a love held and trust built. 

There is so much here to consider during the coming days.  Facing greater pressure, we find the greater the need for abiding, both in Him and His body.  As we see the days approaching, our vital connections help us guard our hearts, keep our heads right, bodies disciplined unto godliness, AND our hearts from failing!

Whatever is not of faith ~

But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. 

 Romans 14:23 AMPC

While the Apostle Paul was writing concerning food, this verse sets a standard for the ‘whatever's’ in our lives.  Every action we take must originate and proceed from a conviction of its approval by God.  Four times, the Bible tells us ‘the just shall live by faith’.  

While we live in the midst of a morally corrupt society, we, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, must hold Biblical convictions but we cannot hold biblical convictions without a continual, daily feeding upon the Word of God.  The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds through the process of attending to the words from the mouth of God.  God’s word spoken, that it might be written = the Bible.  

We just acquired a copy of “The Jewish Study Bible” Tanakh translation.  In the intro remarks of this bible it says, “ More than twenty-five centuries have passed since an anonymous Jewish poet wrote an elaborate and lengthy prayer that included this exclamation: O how I love your teaching! It is my study all day long…Ps. 119:97.   These two themes — the love for the Torah (teaching) and dedication to the study of it — have characterized Jewish reading and interpretation of the Bible ever since.  The love is the impetus for the study; the study is the expression of the love.”  

The Psalmist wrote again from 119, ‘Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you’. Without the entrance of His word, there is no illumination about right and wrong.  Without the Word, we hold the worlds moral compass.  As we attend to the Word we begin a process of renewing our minds.  Our lives, our choices, our opinions, become realigned to those that agree with God and His Word.  Romans chapter seven tells us the law came and we died. The words of the law revealed the conditions within our hearts.  “I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet’.”  

The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them indeed Your servant is warned; in keeping them is great reward.  Psalm19: 7-10

 We are daily inundated with information from so many differing sources. There are many voices in the world and none without significance.  Every voice we allow into our lives ultimately has the power of influence. Jesus said words are seeds sown into our hearts.  The devil works through the “words, thoughts, imaginations” to deceive and blind us.

As we pull our verse apart ~

But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]. 

~ we find where we have doubts and misgivings, they spring from an uneasy conscience.  Again, while Paul is discussing diet, we can all assign this standard to all aspects of living.  This becomes our moral compass.  As believers, living true to your own convictions can only be maintained as we are confident our convictions are His.  We have His approval on our choices, words and deeds  When we are confident about His will governing our every choice what then proceeds are our acts of faith.  We know we have His seal of approval on them. 

I only do what I see my Father doing. 

I only say what I hear my Father saying. 

He who has seen me, has seen the Father. 

These are just a few of the Words that I try to align my daily activities with. Do I always measure up? Of course not, but it is the higher calling and we are all to press towards.  

I want the world to know I am a Christian with a moral compass that has been set by Him and defined by His Words. 

Patient and Kind

Love is… patient and kind. 

1 Corinthians 13:4

Patience is the fruit of faith and hope, rooted in love.  Kindnesses are acts displayed while we are being patient. 

We try to operate in the love of God by our own efforts and human reasoning and thus end up equating Gods love to man’s.  We are to first understand the unlimited and ceaseless love that is God and allow that to permeate our very inner most being.  

Paul wrote to Titus about the appearing of the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour.  ‘He saved us not because of any works on our part, but because of His own great mercy; by the washing of the new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit which he poured out on us RICHLY through Jesus Christ our Saviour’.  This is true because God who is love, is patient and kind to all. 

If, and He has, God has so freely given His son to us, how will He not with Him, freely gives us all things?  The answer, of course, is He has, and He does and He will continue to do so because God, who is love, is patient and kind to all.  

As we grow in our understanding and receptivity of the love God holds for us, we begin  to understand that God is patient and kind with us and then as we receive that into our lives, we become carriers of a grace that extends beyond our human limitations.  

William Barclay notes on ‘patience’ indicate this wordn is always about longsuffering with people, our interaction with people, not our circumstances. Patience exercised in our circumstances is a different Greek word.  

‘Kind(ness)’ is a word filled with such richness and when combined with ‘patience’ you end up seeing the goodness and kindness of God expressed in and through all His acts from Old to New Testament, fulfilled in and through His greatest act of love, the giving of His son.  It is this very love that instills within each of us a faith towards God and a hope for our future.  

Helps Word Study on kind: 

5543/xrēstos ("usefully-kind") relates to what is suitable as the situation truly demands.This kindness really works because it is never morally regrettable.  It adapts service to the real need and hence is "thoroughly useful" (TDNT) – "agreeable because well-fitted" ("working in the yoke with Jesus," cf. Mt 11:30)

Note: The Greek NT has many words which are only fully translated in a hyphenated phrase.   5543 (xrēstos) for example means "kind-and-good" ("usefully kind").  On the spiritual plane, 5543/xrēstós ("suitable, usefully kind") describes what God defines is kind and therefore eternally useful!  "We have no adjective in English that conveys this blend of being kind and good at the same time" (M. Vincent).

As Paul writes, Now abides faith hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love…we begin to understand the foundational need and purpose of abiding in His love.  Without an understanding and trust in the goodness and kindness that is displayed from God’s love, we have no strength for faith, which gives substance to our hope.  Both faith and hope are rooted in love.  His love for us, and consequently our ability to love others, enables us also to exercise faith and hope towards them.   

Since is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance so God is longsuffering with each of us, unwilling for any to perish; it literally means God is willing to work with us for as long as it takes to bring us into the right place of life with Him.   

How can we display the same acts of kindness and patience towards others unless we first find our roots growing deeply into the very heart of God, for us?  Paul wrote this love that God is and holds, believes the best, hopes the best and endures all things; bringing us right to the reality that faith, hope and love are eternal truths.  

May we find our roots deeply entwined within His heart, bearing fruits of goodness and kindness, as we mark our every act and word with patience. 

Never Cease to Hope

Love….hopes all things ~ 

1 Corinthinans 13:7

Amongst faith, hope and love, love is the greatest.  All things flow from the fountain of love.  There is no faith apart from love and there can be no hope without the same abiding work of love. 

1 Corinthians doesn’t simply tell us what love is and how we are to love, it tells us who and how God is.

God is Love. 

But lets talk about hope for a minute. It’s a wonder to me how we can all be so familiar with certain scriptures and their application, yet at different times in our lives fail so fully in their promises.  It always brings me back to the foundation of our lives and the inability we have to live, apart from Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Our life demands union with our life source, an abiding, not a visit. 

Character is best seen in the outworkings of our connections with others.  It is displayed and tested as we mingle with others. You’d think the remedy would be isolation,  but since we have never been created to be alone this can’t be good or right.  Character is tested in the calm and the chaos. 

We’ve talked about how every family in heaven and on earth derives its name and nature from God as Father.  Do you ever wonder what kind of family connections you will be a part of in heaven? Please note Ephesians three says’ every family’, so this seems to me, there has to be more than one family, or one kind of family in heaven, just as there are here on earth. 

So family is an eternal reality and, like marriage, we are to learn eternal truths from.  We learn how to love in and through the relationships we have been set in. We are tested and pruned through the connections we hold.  This is the way of God.  

Working recently with a young father and his family who are beginning their pastoral ministry, we have encouraged them to live church just as they live family.  If a man can’t rule his own house, how can he oversee the house of God.  The family is God’s school.  

And God is the God of hope, who fills us with all joy and peace in believing that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

This very God of hope is the one who fills us with our sense of future and hope that we may continually rise up and move forward, unified in His love with all joy and peace in believing, we are too abound in hope! 

William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible Series on this verse renders this  ~ 

“ love never ceases to hope”. 

 We may have times and seasons where our circumstances and conditions seem hopeless but the one who is the author and creator of all things, who knows the beginning from the end, is never hopeless. 

As our love is found rooted and grounded in Him, increasing though our vital connection with Him and tested through our connections with each other; may that Hope be found as endless and abounding as His love.  

Selah.  

Tension in the Unknown

The tension of not knowing……….

 By faith Abrahm obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going. 

Hebrews 11:8 

Every change in our life is met with a certain amount of trepidation.  We simply do not hold all the answers and we cannot control all the circumstances that inevitably occur.  The one thing that is demanded of us is this stedfast confidence in what God has said. Abraham obeyed, by faith. 

Every move David and I had to make in our lives began with a word from God that we chose to believe and obey and they always contained a ‘not knowing’.

By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out…. not knowing where he was going. They say the first step is the hardest and while that may be, it’s usually the continued walk into the unknown that causes most of us to trip up. 

Peter’s step out of the boat and onto the water to meet Jesus was a successful for a few steps, at least until he was moved by the things surrounding him… the boisterous wind and waves.  Boisterous speaks loudly! 

We learn from Exodus that the children of Israel were led by God in a very specific way “lest the people changed their minds when they see war and return to Egypt”.  There is tension that comes to us from the things seen.  We could be tempted to change our minds. 

We find the children of Israel again in a situation where they are mindful of the things they have left behind in Egypt and “In their hearts they turned to Egypt”.  A longing for what is left behind will create a desire to return, especially if what we are seeing isn’t what we had expected.  Remembrance of the foods in Egypt and a despising of the manna caused their strength to dry. 

We all begin our journey with expectations. When those don’t align we begin to experience the tension of our own winds and waves.  The questions we ponder are over our ability to hear the Lord correctly, or simply the building unbelief in our unkept heart and minds. Double minded folks are unstable in ALL their ways. 

We are all familiar with the story of Lot’s wife. Lot, his wife and his two daughters, are “seized by the hand” and brought outside of the city.  They are instructed not to look back or stop anywhere in the valley.  Lot’s wife fails to obey and turns into a pillar of salt.  

Jesus said in Luke 17 in regards to Lots wife, the one “who seeks to preserve his life will lose it”.  

David and I have often said, had we known what it would cost (spirit, soul and body) to have moved to Canada, we would have never taken the first step.  Fortunately God does not choose to communicate all He knows at the beginning.  As Jesus said, I have many things to say that you can’t bear right now.  Man is required to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  

Being called out and instructed to move forward, especially into the unknown, demands faith, trust and absolute confidence and commitment in and to the Lord. 

So, how do we handle the tension that occurs as we move forward without looking back?  Simple but not easy ~ we KEEP our eyes on Jesus.  We behold him in every facet of worship and word.  We let our mouths be filled with thanksgiving over who He is, what He has decreed and how He is working.  We are EVER mindful of Him.  

Having “never been this way before” demands our attention to be focused on the presence of the Lord, cp. Joshua 3:3-4.  The ark before them showing the way they were to go and then they followed. 

The one thing we CANNOT do is look back.  Let’s consider the end of others who did and be mindful of what our heart holds and our eyes see.  These examples are all written so we do not fall prey to the same error. 

Paul had to forget and press.  Jesus had to set his face to move forward into His purpose and we will find that we too must be willing to live in the times and seasons of going out, not knowing the way, simply finding our steps secured by Him. 

He makes us walk on the high places and keeps our foot from stumbling. 

Hebrews 11:8. By faith Abrahm obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going. 

Lord, Show us the Father

“Lord, Show us the Father…”

John 14:8

Don’t you find it interesting how all of our questions and understandings come through our own limitations and perceptions?  If we could remove all our preconceptions and simply allow Jesus to reveal His truth to our hearts, we could then begin to live in this broader, fuller, place He has called us to. 

Jesus’ response to Philip, ‘Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip?  He who has seen me has seen the Father.’  We know several other scriptures establish the thought that Jesus was the express image of the Father.  From His prayer in John seventeen, we see that His desire is for us to know the Father.  His prayer is a continuation of how He has lived, so that His revelation could be imported into our lives. 

‘ I have manifested your name’

‘I have given them your word’

Knowing His name firstly involves our seeing and hearing. If we can see Jesus rightly, we can know the Father.  If we have ears that will hear, we can know the Father.  Jesus declared “I and the Father are one.”

Helps Word Study on Name:

3686 ónoma – name; (figuratively) the manifestation or revelation of character, distinguishing it from others. ["According to Hebrew notions, a name is inseparable from the person to whom it belongs, i.e. it is something of his essence.  Therefore, in the case of the God, it is specially sacred" (Souter).]

1. M. Vincent, "In the Bible, a name (3686/ónoma) expresses the sum of the qualities which mark the nature or character of a person.

Ephesians tells every family in heaven and on earth derives its name from our Father.  Hudsons translation renders it “name and nature”.  

When Moses saw the glory of God, it was God appearing and declaring His name and His nature.  

Exodus 34: 5  "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty..."

Jesus concludes His prayer in John seventeen with “I have made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them”.   Holding the knowledge of our Father leads us into love.  

From the beginning God revealed himself as a Father.  We see him as the Creator of all things.  We see him providing His family with every thing they need for life.  We see Him covering their sin with the blood sacrifice and we see Him redeeming their lives in the promise of Jesus.  

This is the essence of Fatherhood: creating, sustaining, covering and redeeming HIS Creation.  His heart to reveal this to His children is seen in the gift he has given in His son who went about doing good and revealing the heart and mind of His Father.  Where religion had twisted and perverted the reality of His word and His ways, Jesus shone as the light of God in the midst of the darkness and brought truth that set captives free.  

Phiip asked, “Lord, Show us the Father and Jesus replied, “He who has seen me, has seen the Father”.  May our eyes continue to behold Him as He manifests His Name and gives us His word and we grow in the knowledge of our heavenly Father.  

The workings of the Holy Spirit

"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into allI the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 "He will glorify Me for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 "All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.   

John 16:12-15

From these verses we find much revelation concerning the way the Holy Spirit has been given to work in our lives. 

Jesus said He had many more things to say to us, but you cannot bear them now. 

We discover he has many more things to say to us AT THE RIGHT TIME ~ The reality of knowing the Father and His son Jesus is that knowing and learning Him is an unending discovery.  I love the reality that the Father never gives us anything that we are not able to bear.  He knows our natural and spiritual limitations and never adds to our lives for destruction.  He is the author of life and works only life in us.  So when we meet circumstances and ‘feel’  we can’t bear them, it highlights our need to depend on our Helper because he never reveals things to us we are not able to bear.  Grace is always attached to revelation. When we ‘see’ we are presented with the grace to believe, receive and obey. 

When He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth ~

Jesus said, “I will ask the Father  and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth.” The greatest need we have is truth.  Our ability to rightly discern and see what is true from the lie and deception. As the Spirit of God, He is Truth, for God is not a man that He can lie.  It is impossible for God to lie.  Satan is a liar and the father of all lies and there is no truth in him.  As the God of this world, he works to blind minds, so we won’t believe.  Every lie embraced brings one closer to the destruction he works, but Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  Just as the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus to open the eyes of the blind, he continues to work to open our eys to see and will guide us into all the truth, 

BECAUSE he will not speak on His own initiative but whatever He hears, he will speak ~

We have been graciously given the Spirit who is from God, who searches the depths of God to give us understanding and insight in the knowledge of Him and the things freely given to us by God.  As the Spirit of Almighty God, He is Holy. The Holy Spirit holds and communicates to us the very thoughts of God and He will disclose to us what is to come.  Just as Jesus only spoke what He heard the Father say, the Holy Spirit takes what is Jesus’ and reveals this to us.  He will show us things to come.  Our tomorrow need not take us unawares.  

Finally, we see the glorifying ministry of the Holy Spirit with all He does bringing glory to Jesus.

He will glorify me for He will take what is mine and disclose it to you.  

What we need, to conform to Christ, is the work of grace, through the Holy Spirit.  ’Christ in us is the hope of glory’ . 

Whatever He discloses will bring glory to Jesus.  Since we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus, the Holy Spirit works to reveal, lead, guide, and strengthen to achieve that purpose.  The Holy Spirit works to bring to our remembrance all things Jesus has said and then gives us the ability to walk that out.  It is this working which brings glory to Jesus. 

The Holy Spirit enables us, in the very moment of temptation, to be all that is needed to ‘be’ Jesus in that circumstance. He will prepare us for the coming moment.  He will direct us in that moment, He will give the ability to do right in the moment and this all glorifies Jesus, as it is exactly what Jesus would do.  

It serves the Fathers purpose for us to learn and grow up into Jesus in all things. It is the Holy Spirit, who is given unto us, that  communicates and enables us to grow up into that man. 

These days are demanding and with the pressure of the times, we must access all that heaven has given to us as we daily are being filled with the Spirit.  

Sir, we would see Jesus.

“….Sir, we would see Jesus…”  John 12:21

Our gospel is not about behavioural modification.  It is about transformation, conformation,in order to become like Him and this is not done by our own striving but by a humble receptivity to the grace He gives. We preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified while teaching His disciples to observe all that He has commanded us. 

The very ‘beholding of Christ’ is a transforming sight. As we gaze, the Spirit works.  The gospel is a mirror, a perfect law of liberty, and as we look into this mirror, desiring to see Him, we are changed from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18).

“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.”

As we behold Him we become like him…..

Psalms 115:8,135:18 remind us that those who made and worshipped idols became like them;  which is the perverted and deceptive way the devil works to get the worship He craves.  Proverbs exhorts us, Attend to this word. Do not let it depart from your eyes.  Keep in in the midst of your heart.  They are life to the one who finds them and healing to all their flesh. 

James’ epistle instructs us to look into the perfect law of liberty and continue therein.  It is this place of attentive beholding that the Spirit works His transformative power.  We become like the one we behold and we are to behold HIM. 

However, when we read Scripture without a hunger to see Jesus, we risk growing in knowledge of the Bible without growing in affection for Christ.  We’ve noted before the Pharisees sought the scriptures looking for eternal life, but Jesus said, “you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” 

We want to read Scripture with an intent to see how every passage relates to Jesus.  Jesus invites us; “come to me and learn of me”.  Reading our Bibles is so much more than reading words on a page.  It is the revelation of Jesus Christ.  From beginning to end our Bible reveals the Father’s eternal purpose in His sons redemption of mankind. The New Testament becomes the mystery of the Old Testament, hidden for the ages, revealed in Jesus Christ and now made manifest through the church.  We come to see with the veil removed through Christ to behold the glory of our Lord and King. 

The phrase ‘  "What would Jesus do?", often abbreviated to WWJD, became popular particularly in the United States in the late 1800s after the widely read book by Charles Sheldon entitled, “In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do.”  The phrase had a resurgence in the US and elsewhere in the 1990s and as a personal motto for adherents of Christianity who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief in a moral imperative to act in a manner that would demonstrate the love of Jesus through the actions of the adherents. WWJD was a acronym…” ‘ 

Quoted From Wikipedia 

There is so much more to know of Him and my prayer is that there would be an insatisable hunger can only be satisfied as we come to feed upon Him, to learn from Him and see Him as. He is.  May He grant us His spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, as we cry, Father, we would see Jesus. 

Wisdom from Ants

 Go to the ant, o sluggard; consider her ways and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.  How long would you lie there, oh sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Proverbs 6:6

I’ve been considering the past year plus of covid restrictions and considering the fruit my life has produced in this season. Growth is something we never stop doing.  It’s engagement in life.  We begin to die when we cease to engage. So even with man’s restrictions, God is still at work, both to will and do of His good pleasure.  

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes ‘a dream comes by much activity’ and again in Proverbs, a man dies for a lack of discipline’. Covid forced, on the majority of us, a large measure of restricted activity.  As we reflect ofn this past timeframe, can we stop and examine the fruit it has produced in our lives? 

What did we put our hands to and increase?  We must be mindful that seasons of rest are designed to still be fruitful.   Nature uses the winter season to recoup.  Night prepares for day. Jesus encouraged his disciples, after a season of much activity, to come aside and rest.  He calls the weary and heavy laden to himself for restoration of soul.  Rest prepares you for the next thing. 

We are all looking forward to the days ahead, stepping back into ‘busy about the masters work’ and extending the kingdom and reaping the harvest. I’m trusting that we have all taken the time to examining our foundations, allowing realignment and refitting to occur.  It’s time to come forth as Jesus did when he began his work “in the power of the Holy Spirit”.

None of us hold a full picture of our tomorrow but “If we faint in the day of adversity our strength is small”. If we weren’t able to walk with the footmen how can we run with the horses? 

If we have not responded to the invitation to come aside and rest in a season where many have not had chief,ruler, overseer, to direct them then we may find ourselves unprepared to reap a harvest.  

I suppose the question I’m putting forth today is - have we increased our lives spiritually? 

• Have we used the time to build ourselves up in our inner man?

• Have we attended to the word - learning, hearing and seeing, receiving revelation?

• Have we taken the days, weeks, month, to sit at his feet and behold Him?

• Have we grown in the knowledge of our Father and His son?

• Do we see a greater grace and peace resting in our lives?

It’s not that any of us have arrived or that we are perfect. These, of course, are just questions for examination.  What have we put our hands to?  Where is the increase revealing itself? 

Hopefully we have all learned to exercise spiritual disciplines that will keep us in the ‘new’ that God is leading us into. 

For us all, being faithful with what we have been given and remaining stedfast in our faith, is huge in the heart and mind of God. 

This is Eternal life

And this is Eternal life, that they know you….  John 17: 3

Eternal life is not simply the concept of life after death but rather the kind of life we have after we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.  It is the life that Jesus displayed on earth and the life that He came for us, as children of God, to possess.

Eternal life begins when I encounter the saving knowledge of Jesus and increases as I learn who He is.  Jesus’ prayer is that we would hold knowledge of the Father and the son so that we might be perfectly one with Him.

The primary way God reveals himself to believers today is through His word, breathed on, by His Holy Spirit.  His word was first spoken, then revealed in Jesus and finally written, that we might believe. 

“..but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

As His children, we are to behold Him, to learn from Him and grow up to be like Him. We continually feed upon Him in order that we might more fully know Him. 

The Ephesian prayer is that we would have a Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  The Spirit of knowledge is for the one pursing a lifetime’s relationship with the Lord.  To know Him is eternal life.   

Helps Word Study on the word KNOW ~

1097 ginōskō – properly, to know, especially through personal experience (first-hand acquaintance).

1097 (ginōskō) suggests "knowing through personal experience" (A. T. Robertson, WP 2,122,123), i.e. through relationship.  This root (gnō-) implies personal, first-hand knowing (perceiving, understanding) – a subjective knowing "grounded in personal experience" (J. Thayer).

In contrast, 1492 (eídō) typically focuses on "objective (self-evident) knowing" as it results from observation, i.e. "absolute knowing" in the sense it does not require a personal relationship.  

The point being, we might (eido) some things about God (head knowledge)  but not (ginosko) Him personally and intimately.  Jesus shows this realty from John 5:39-40

‘You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.’

Let me suggest that whatever knowledge we hold through our current personal experience still has room for so much more understanding.  We are told Moses was a friend of God who spoke with him ‘face to face’. His intimate encounters with God revealed God’s very character and nature.  From Jesus, we have a first hand knowledge of the heart and mind of God, as expressed through Him.  Now we have  been invited into this knowledge.

Our fellowship with the Father is built from feeding upon His word and then our conversations with Him through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us to reveal the heart and mind of God, to teach us all things and lead us into truth.   As we feed upon the Word, the Holy Spirit rightly divides soul and spirit.  He searches intents and motivations, rightly aligning us to righteousness, producing life for us.

We are now seeing a renewal, highlighted by the Spirit of God, to hold a place of honor for His Word.  An honor for His word, creates the door for entrance into union with Him.  ‘How can two walk together unless they be agreed?’  ‘A house divided can not stand!’ Without knowledge of the word there can be no agreement to it. Willing submission  comes from the honor we hold in our hearts for His word.  Without an honor for His word, there can be no unity, no oneness with Him, because we have rejected His knowledge, wisdom and ultimately the life it gives.  

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.  1 Cor. 13:12 

As Paul said, not that I have alredy obtained or am already perfect but I press on to make it my own… that I may know Him. 

DIOKO

“Pursue Love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts…..”

1 Cor. 14:1 

ABP+ “Pursue the love, and be zeaous for the spirituals…”

David and I have been doing a bible study group through our FB group page “DavidandJeanneBibleStudies” and have been looking at Paul’s instructions to the Corinthian church.  Corinth is infamous as a city filled with luxury, commerce, riches and the debauchery it affords. With travellers coming to stay or passing through for business, I thought of Las Vegas and it’s advertised culture of excess, as I read the commentaries on Corinthian life at the time of Paul’s writing.

It’s interesting to note the teaching we have on love is found in the midst of a culture that worships Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.  The temple established on the hill for her worship held 1000 priestesses, who were held as sacred prostitues during the day at the temple and then served the city streets at night.  

In the midst of this culture, Paul writes some very definitive instructions for identity, motivations and behaviour to be held and practiced by the believers.  We find chapter thirteen in 1 Corinthians the hinge all his instructions swing on.   If we can establish our hearts in love, we can overcome the carnal impluses of the flesh. So, Paul writes, pursue love and desire spirituals.  

I want to take a look at two words, pursue and earnestly desire, in the Greek, from Helps Word Studies ~ 

• Pursue ~ 1377 diōkō – properly, aggressively chase, like a hunter pursues a catch (prize). 1377 (diōkō) is used positively ("earnestly pursue") and negatively ("zealously persecute, hunt down").

[In each case, 1377 (diōkō) means pursue with all haste ("chasing" after), earnestly desiring to overtake (apprehend).]

1377/diōkō ("doggedly pursue, chase") means "to run swiftly in order to catch some person or thing, to run after, pursue," metaphorically, "to seek eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire" (K. Wuest); 

• Earnestly desire ~ 2206 zēlóō (an onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of boiling water) – properly, to bubble over from getting so hot (boiling); (figuratively) "to burn with zeal" (J. Thayer); "to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – 'to be earnest, to set one's heart on, to be completely intent upon'" (L & N, 1, 25.76). See 2205 (zēlos).

I’m sure you are aware that this love we are to pursue is ‘agape’, the love God has and this is the very love we are to pursue ~ Ephesians 5:2

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…..” CEV renders this, “Let love be your guide” 

We ‘dioko’ this love to acquire and display His love; both in the receiving and giving.   We don’t want this to be ‘second nature’ we want it to be our primary nature, with every thought, deed and motivation driven by His love for us and for others.  We want to think as God thinks.  We want to see as God sees and we want all to be bathed in love.  

Then, “zeloo” (earnestly desire), decribes the intensity I display as I pursue spiritual activity.  I might have a “desire” for something but it doesn’t mean I am pursuing to acquire it.  This word describes the effort and activity I am willing to give to actually possess and display the reality of all spiritual activity. 

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Romans 12:11

Paul told Timothy to study to show himself approved.  A workman that did not need to be ashamed.  There is an effort required to be spiritual.  There are disciplines that must be practiced.  There are things to be learned that require being with Jesus.  

Can we do this? Yes.  Is it easy, not in the flesh, but we are assured we can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us strength. May we live with this zealous pursuit for the love and ways of the Spirit that bring only glory to the workings of God in and through our lives as we “dioko” to know Him and His ways. 

Unity of the Spirit

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

Ephesians 4:3

Helps Word Study on bond~ 4886 sýndesmos (from 4862/sýn, "closely identity with" and 1210/déō, "bind") – properly, a bond (close union); a close (inner) identity which produces harmony between members joined closely together (WP).  

It’s interesting to note that Paul opens the majority of his letters with the blessing of ‘grace and peace’ and the letter to Ephesians is no exception. The reality that our lives are to be full of grace and peace is inescapable and they are abundantly supplied to the believer.  Revelation chapter one tells us grace and peace are from the seven spirits before the throne and the Father and his son Jesus Christ.

Paul’s exhortation reminds us there is unparrelled unity between the Godhead and we have been invited to share in this unity of oneness with them.  Mark’s gospel reminds us that the Lord our God is one.  There is no division betwen the will and working of God the Father, Jesus the word and His Spirit. ‘Hear O Israel the Lord your God is one’ . Jesus prays for us to be found in this oneness ~ 

‘I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one…’  

Paul exhorts us to be eager to maintain this unity through the bond of peace. 

Helps Word Study on eager: 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).  

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Blessed are the peace ”makers” for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:19

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

Once again, we are confronted with the things we ‘know’ from the word and the reality of walking and living it out.  From Pauls letter we learn that he first identifies himself in his affliction. ‘I am a prisoner’.  In prison because of the hatred and jealousy of others, yet his appeal is to the character of the follower of Christ to hold humility, meekness, and patience bearing with one another in love. 

Helps Word Study: ’Bearing up’: 430 anéxomai(from 303/aná, "up/completing a process" and 2192/éxō, "to have") – properly, "still bearing up," even after going through the needed sequence (course of action); to forbear; 

Without this working deep in our hearts and mind we can never maintain the unity of the Spirit because we are ourselves are not unified with the Spirit and where there is no unity of the Spirit there can be no peace.

First John is a manual on relationships, ours with the Father and with others and all of them found rooted in love.  John wrote, 

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 see. And this commandment we have from him, whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 4:20-21

However I might try to sidestep this with ‘I don’t hate them, I just don’t like them’ we miss the point, which is must love them and must love demands 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ~ 

Love is patient and kind, love does not envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude, It does not insiist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 

This measuring stick is to be the standard we judge our hearts from. What is my heart holding for another?  Am I bearing with another?  Am I eager to maintain this unity? 

We love even as we have been loved. 

We are eager to maintain the unity the Spirit produces. 

Our dependency upon our union with Him enables our union with each other.  

It is the Spirit that the pours forth this grace that enables.  It is the Spirit that pours forth the love of God into us.  It is the Spirit that directs us into right ways.  Of course it is our choice to yield to all that He does.  

How pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity.  I suggest there is no place of peace in our lives until we first unify with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and then, and only then, will we find unity that is bond in peace.

On this pentecost Sunday ~ may the presence and working of His Holy Spirit bring a renewal of relationships and union in His church so that all men will know we are His disciples by the love we hold for one another. 

Administration of the Kingdom

“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.”  Matthew 11:12 ESV

Berean Literal Bible ~ And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence and the violent seize it.

NASB ~ And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force.

I want you to notice first, that this dynamic has been occurring since the days of John the Baptist. If Jesus is saying that we must enter into His Kingdom through a lot of hard fought battles, then yes: true.  If as the NASB says, men treat it badly, then ‘yes’ as well. Both thoughts can be seen in this current generation displaying His Kingdom on  earth.  

“We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but principalities and powers….”.  

His Kingdom, His dominion and His ways are continually being violently resisted. As His people, it rests upon us to make sure our battle isn’t any harder by trying to live with one foot in the world.  

“Satan is coming and has nothing in me”. 

Jesus revealed the Kingdom, the King and his dominion, and said My Kingdom is not of this world.  One of the first things we learn from Jesus, from Matthew chapter five, is the sphere of His Kingdom.  Jesus said the Kingdom of God was within.  

During this past season, the Holy Spirit has said to me, I’m going to show you how to administrate the Kingdom of God.  A few weeks later, during a time of prayer, he said, I’m going to teach you how to wield the sword.  Of course these things always speak volumes and you understand in a moment all that is being communicated, so I knew with this there were things to adjust, realign and pursue.

Paul wrote to the Romans, 

“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Paul went on to admonish these believers in Romans 14: 18.19~ 

“Whoever thus serves Christ (in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit) is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 

We all want to display the power of the Kingdom with great signs and wonders, as Jesus did but Jesus came to emphasis character from a heart change and a life that was unified with Him, transformed by the Holy Spirit.  This in itself is the first sign and wonder we experience as new believers.  Not simply behaviour modification but transformation, for those who yield to His workings.

We want the power of the Holy Spirit but HE first works in us to conform us to Christ.  As He, the Holy Spirit, works in us, He brings forth His fruit from yielded vessels. 

“If anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonourable, he will be a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”  2 Timothy 2:21

We are called and chosen.  We are equipped.  Jesus gave the keys of the Kingdom to Peter and to us all.  He builds His church upon the revelation that He is the Christ, the son of the Living God.  Because authority has been given unto us, we must learn to righteously administrate His Kingdom, His waym which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  

Bishop Ellicott calls authority ‘not the right of might, but the might of right’.  The disciples wanted to call fire down.  They were jealous of each other at various times.  They postured for position and power, but when empowered by the Holy Spirit, they had a supernatural ability to come out of old things into new.  Not simply tongue talkers, but men and women whose entire lives were radically altered, walking in the fear of the Lord. 

Jesus said “Come to me, learn of me, I am meek and lowly of heart.”  Jesus showed us how to serve not to be served.  Jesus showed us how to die to ourselves.  Jesus showed us how to love even as he loved.  Jesus set an example for each and every disciple to embrace and conform to.  These are those called and chosen and prepared.  Jesus said, many are called, but few are chosen.  

I want to be one of those faithful followers, called, chosen and prepared for these last great days, righteously administrating His Kingdom on this earth, wielding a sword well. 

NEW

In the beginning God created…. Genesis 1:1 

Another wonderful little word….NEW, that I would like to share with you this week.  

We are promised NEW mercies with each NEW day.  We have been given a NEW covenant that brings a NEW creation wth old things passing away and all things being made NEW and all NEW things being of God. 

We are given a NEW Spirit and we have a NEW self that lives from a NEW way in NEWness of life with a NEW commandment and we find ourselves in one NEW man unified. 

Yet in all this that we have already been given we find that the best is yet to come. 

From the book of Revelation we find we will be given a NEW name in the NEW Jerusalem, singing a NEW song from a NEW heaven and a NEW Earth.  

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things NEW.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21: 5

This all stirred in me as the Spirit highlighted scripture from Lev. 26:10 to me. God is rehearsing His Blessings for Obedience to the Children of Israel, which by the way, begins in verse three with the word “IF”, but on to verse ten ~ 

“You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new”.

Jesus tells us from Luke’s gospel that NEW wine must be put into NEW wineskins.  I think we are all aware that God is doing a NEW thing.  We are perceiving NEW is coming, things are changing.  God is decreeing and creating.  The question is ~ Am I ready for the NEW? 

What must be removed from my life, my both naturally and spiritually that will make room for His NEW?   Am I becoming a NEW wineskin to hold the power, the presence judgement and authority required to administrate the Kingdom of God here on the earth.

We know Pauls press from Philippians chapter three could have been hindered by his refusal to forget the things of His past, but the admonition is to forget, clear out the old!

The danger is holding onto the old we know because it has become palatable, tasty and comfortable to us. 

 We know how the old ways work.  They can be strongholds and obstacles to forward motion.  BUT GOD who is at work within us is moving us into a deeper intimacy with HIM and from this place He works forming the NEW wineskins that He will pour  into with NEW wine that can be poured out.  

Jesus held a NEW word that was with such power and authority that those who heard were astonished, “What a word is this?  Where did you get such authority? This is His church on the earth that is coming forth in NEWness of life.  

My prayer is that we all our choosing to be a part of HIS NEW.

DO

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Philippians 4:9 KJV

I felt IF and Do just go hand in hand.  The Old Testament Covenant hinged on a people doing what God had commanded. From the beginning of Genesis we find God’s command in the garden required activity on the part of Adam and Eve, a daily doing.  When Cain is tempted, we find God’s word to Him ~ 

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 

The temptation is to move away from the ‘doing well’ to not walk in submission and obedience to His instructions given. Yet God has set this immoveable standard for us, His people ~ 

Exodus 15:26 “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes

Lev. 22:31 “So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the Lord.

Dt 28:1 And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, 

We learn from Joshua, as he begins his leadership journey, he has one simple instruction.  

Joshua 1:8   This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Jesus aligns us with this same thought from John 15 when he tells us we are to abide in Him and His word for apart from Him we can do nothing; and his instructions to his disciples carry a great weight about our doing ~ 

Matthew 12:49 “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” 

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven

There are many things we do and they all bear some kind of fruit in our lives but what we are looking for is the fruit that endures unto eternity.  We want everlasting fruit.  Fruit that is not wood, hay or stubble and the only way we can avoid bad fruit is through the abiding we do WITH him.

As we join in this unity with the Father, through Jesus the word, by the power of His Spirit, we find many times instructions that challenge our will and cause fear to arise perhaps tempting us to withdraw.  But as God told Cain, you must master the sin that tempts you!

Tempted in all points as we are, Jesus met and overcame the agony of His soul through His prayer in the garden; coming to an end of himself, he was prepared and strengthened to do His Fathers will.  We have never been required to DO in our own strength.  Paul learned that when he was weak then He was strong, because grace abounding to Him was sufficient. 

Mankind’s redemption was dependent upon Jesus’ doing.  Do we live with the awareness our “doing’ is not only impacting us, but others?  Paul was confident the things he taught, and displayed were eternal truths that produced life for not only him, but others.  Are we confident our doings are life giving and eternal?

We all meet times when we would prefer to live out our own will and way, but the blessing is only in the obedience of doing His. 

John 13:17  IF you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 

IF

The fear of the Lord, holds as its foundation, our submission to the word God has spoken.  “If” I will, then God will.  While we are always quick to attach ourselves to the promises in God’s word, many times we overlook the condition that comes, with this little word, IF!  I’ve highlighted some IF’S and have deliberately left off the promises that follow so we can focus today on making sure our lives are properly aligned to His standard.

Deut 11:13

And IF you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…

Ex. 15:26 

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “IF you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes…

2 Chron 7:14 

IF my people who are called by my name will humble themselves …….

Proverbs 2:1 

My son, IF you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, IF you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4  IF you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then …..

Malachi 1:6

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. IF then I am a father, where is my honor? And IF I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.

Malachi 2:1 

And now, O priests this common is for you.2  IF you will not listen,  IF you will not take it to heart to give honour to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will ….

Zechariah 3:7

Thus says the Lord of hosts: IF you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then….

John 13:17 

IF you know these things, …

John 14:6 

IF you love me…

We see, in all these scriptures, the honour and value God places on the freedom He has given us in choice and yet, over and over He shows us what is right and that which will bring us life. 

Deut. 30:19 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live…”

If is a pretty big word that must be met before the promise can be assured. Let’s not overlook or dismiss them in an attempt to just gain a promise.  Our lives our shaped by the  IFS we have aligned to.

Fear of Man

The fear of man

The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB

• The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

• The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.

You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 

Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    

Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.

Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  

To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 

I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 

God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  

James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 

Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 

Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 

Our only escape is to practice a dally lifestyle that chooses submission and obedience from a holy reverence of our Father and knowing in this place, He delivers us from all evil.  

The fear of man 

The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB

• The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

• The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.

You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 

Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    

Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.

Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  

To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 

I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 

God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  

James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 

Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 

Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 

The fear of man 

The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB

• The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

• The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.

You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 

Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    

Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.

Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  

To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 

I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 

God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  

James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 

Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.

The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 

Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 

Let Him be your fear

Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honour as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

ISAIAH 8:12-13 ESV

The early church, we are told from Acts 9, walked in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  Isaiah chapter eleven tells us that the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord would rest on Jesus and his delight was to be found in the fear of the Lord. These verses tell us that the fear of the Lord is imparted by the Holy Spirit.  As our union with the Holy Spirit enlarges and we have a greater yielding to His leadership, I believe we will see the church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, living and walking in this righteous, holy, reverential fear of the Lord.   

The Psalmist cried ~ Unite my heart to fear your name O Lord!

It is by the fear of the Lord that man departs from evil.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  We are all looking for wisdom and the Holy Spirit, again from Isaiah eleven, is shown to be wisdom.  He alone knows the heart and mind of the Father.  He alone is the revealer of all things.  He is the Spirit of Almighty God who is Holy.  He is the presence of God who has come to live in us and He is absolute truth. 

 I’ve been thinking about Fear vs. fear.   One being the positive aspect of fearing the Lord, the other being fear of man, not afraid of a man, but the fear that lurks around all of us. The mother of all fear is this fear of death. Hebrews 2:14 explains: 

“..through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were all their life subject to bondage” 

We learn two things from this verse. Jesus has destroyed him who had the power of death and has (past tense) delivered all who are subject to bondage through this fear of death.  

You might say - Im not afraid of dying, Im just afraid of…. but when followed to the end of what that fear could produce, the ultimate is a death.

 John wrote in his first epistle that fear has torment.  A careful word study shows us that this fear is actually a fear of condemnation from the judgment of God.  It is actually a fear of being rejected by God and sentenced to a life of separation from Him. 

If we consider ‘fear of death’ in its broadest sense, it is simply separation.  We know that leaving our earthly bodies does not end life for us, it is simply a separation from this world.  The question then becomes, leaving here where do I go? Shall I spend eternity, united to God or separated from His loving presence and condemned to torment, i.e. hell? 

So, this negative sense of fear involves the fear of rejection. The potential that God could possible find fault with us in such a way that he would reject us.   The command throughout the Bible has been to fear Him and keep His commands. 

 The fear that comes from not fearing Him is one of judgment and condemnation. 

The cure ~ the perfect love of God that casts this out.  Romans reminds us that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk after the Spirit and not the flesh.  Living in the flesh creates a sin conscious reality that Jesus has redeemed us from.  This place of flesh gives entrance to all the accusations from our enemy.  These accusations create guilt, shame and drive us to separate ourselves from our Father.  

Again, Paul wrote in Romans, nothing can separate us from the love of God.  Yet time after time in our human weakness and strivings we fail to ‘measure up’ and that fear expects a fiery judgment.  Do we fall into works or do we repent and come into a place of mercy, grace and peace?  This negative fear will drive us to works to try and earn something from the Father that has been freely, graciously and willingly provided in Christ Jesus.  The Fear of the Lord will keep us in the place of loving Him, loving His word and welcoming the work of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis to lead and guide us into the ways that are pleasing to the Father, finding us, as His church, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy One. 

My prayer today is that we, as the body of Christ, would cry out for our hearts to be united to fear Him and stand in the liberty and freedom He longs for us to hold, doing the works He has assigned to us, His church, the body of Christ. 

He is Risen

Grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so, Amen.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:4-8

My prayer today is for eyes to behold Him as He is, to be transformed into His image and glorify Him rightly on this earth. May this day be filled with a new found wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.