Uttermost

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.  

Hebrews 7:25

As we process a right perspective in the midst of testing, let us call to mind the mercies of the Lord and have hope!  We have help!  We are never left alone!  These realities sometimes get lost in the press, yet are absolutely necessary for us to hold.

The book of Hebrews tells us Jesus has finished the “work” required and now continues to fulfil His role as high priest in offering up prayers for us enabling us to bear our ‘momentary light affliction’ and not fall away, which is always the potential in these moments. 

Our verse from Hebrews sums up the reality of Jesus holding his priesthood permanently because he continues for ever.  As such, HE and he alone is able to save to the uttermost.  That salvation is complete and perfect, for any and all who first draw near to God through Him. 

Many times in our circumstances we find ourselves wrestling through details as opposed to entering the rest we have been given because of the work and provision Jesus has made.  

What is required of us is to draw near, believing, John 6:29. Hebrews 11:6.  This believing will manifest itself in rest, peace, joy, contentment etc. It displays an absence of fear and anxiety.  There is no striving present or our human attempts to control.  The reality of Ps 46:10 ‘be still [NASB  “stop striving”] and know I am God’ reminds us who is at work on our behalf.

So, the awareness that Jesus is seated above all, seeing and knowing, touched with the feelings of our infirmities, ever living to pray for us, well, that’s huge.  To come with confidence, to the throne of grace, is the drawing near to God.  We are met with mercy.  There is an altar before His throne that is covered with the blood of Jesus that speaks a better word over us.  Mercy cries out to us and over us.  We are not perfected by our doings, but by Jesus’.   

From Hebrews chapter two we find Jesus “a merciful and faithful high priest”.   Remember all temptation testing is two fold, a proving of heart and mind, and a demonic strategy to destroy our confidence in a faithful and loving Father and NOT draw near. 

It is Jesus, as the one who was tempted in every point as we are, who is able to give the strength needed to maintain our confession and resist the temptation to let go and fall back.  Here’s a thought to ponder ~ is it our great faith, or is it actually the prayers of Jesus that saves us?   However you answer that, our faith is to be in the one who has done the work and provided every blessing we lay claim to.  It’s about Him.   This is the whole book of Hebrews.  The assurance of what Jesus has provided to sustain us in and through “momentary light afflictions” that are to work a greater weight of glory IF embraced righteously.  In Him, we have a powerful incentive to preserve.  

“For because He himself has suffered when tempted he is able to help those who are being tempted” Hebrews 2:19

Therefore Holy Brothers, we who share in a heavenly calling are exhorted, “consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.  The who was was faithful to Him who appointed Him”… and lift the hands that hang down, strengthen the knees, make straight paths for your feet and find the grace that is sufficient in the moment.

Directing Hearts

May the Lord direct your heart to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:5

A few word studies from Helps in the Discovery Bible ~

• DIRECT :2720 kateuthýnō (from 2596 /katá, "down, exactly according to," intensifying 2116 /euthýnō, "make straight") – properly, go straight down by the most direct, efficient route; to go in a direct (straight) course – avoiding all unnecessary delays, without any undue loss of time or achievement. [The prefix (kata) lends the idea "exactly direct or guide" – literally "down to without unnecessary deviation."]

• INTO: 1519 eis (a preposition) – properly, into (unto) – literally, "motion into which" implying penetration ("unto," "union") to a particular purpose or result.

• STEADFASTNESS:  5281 hypomonḗ (from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 3306 /ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life.

We’ve been looking at how to respond to our testing in life and all our instructions from the word end in the one place, our verse today highlights being found in union with the love of God.  In this union, we let nothing separate us from the love God holds for us.   

The early church lived in adverse circumstances that the North American church has not yet experienced.  We are not “the” persecuted church as seen in many other nations.  It does not cost us our property, money, or lives to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord.  There will be a day when all nations - which includes North America - will hate us because we identify ourselves as Christians.

The early church lived with the expectation they would be alive when Jesus came back.   I’ve often thought I could endure anything if I knew the press only lasted so long. I’m sure there were many believers who felt the same way only to have this challenged as they aged and watched life become more tenuous.  We never know what is in us until it is tested and proven.  Which is why we have so many exhortations from the word to endure.  So many examples, over and over again, that have been written for to us to know this is not a strange thing- when it happens.

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.…1 Peter 4

Be mindful that when Peter wrote this he was reminding all, that the revelation of the glory of Christ is what empowers them in the midst of testing.  Paul exclaims to the Romans, NO! in all these things we have complete victory through Him who loved us. Romans 8:39. Nothing and no one can separate us from His love.

By the time we move to the book of Revelation we find a church who shows many positive acts INCLUDING steadfast endurance, yet they have left their first love.  They are noted by Jesus to have persisted steadfastly and have not grown weary but in leaving (the Greek word actual indicates “to give up”) their first love, these believers have fallen from a ‘high state’, NET translation and repentance is required.

This always troubles me, because we can do so many right things, yet still be judged by God lacking, with further repentance required to make ourselves right. In all that was right in doings, their heart condition was still wrong.

God looks at the heart.  This is the one thing we are charged to guard with all diligence.  Watching. Examining, for anything that would alter our absolute trust in His truth concerning HIS great love, for us, to us, in us, for others.

Could it be, that my heart in union with His love is the key for me to duplicate the steadfastness of Christ?  Could it be, that my heart in union with His love enables me to keep moving forward?  Could it be that in and through all things, our union with HIS love compels us? I would say yes.

It is written

And Jesus answered him, “it is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

 Luke 4:4 

Jesus is quoting from Deuteronomy chapter 8:1-3  where we find Moses reminding the Children of Israel ~ 

You must carefully follow every commandment I am giving you today, so that you may live and multiply, and enter and possess the land that the LORD swore to give your fathers. Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of theLORD.…Berean Study Bible. 

While we are examining the process and purpose of every test that comes our way, we must remember, our foundation is built from His command.  We must engage with our Father to hear what He is saying to us.  It must become more than a written word in a book.  It must become a living word that has the power of creation in its seed.  

As I was reflecting on the life that is found in the word of God.  I came across the following notes from Barnes Commentary  ~ 

“And his name is called The Word of God - The name which in Revelation 19:12 it is said that no one knew but he himself. This name is Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ Ho logos tou Theou, or "the Logos of God." That is, this is his unique name; a name which belongs only to him, and which distinguishes him from all other beings. The name "Logos," as applicable to the Son of God, and expressive of his nature, is found in the New Testament only in the writings of John, and is used by him to denote the higher or divine nature of the Saviour. In regard to its meaning, and the reason why it is applied to him, see the notes on John 1:1 (https://biblehub.com/john/1-1.htm). 

 The following may be some of the reasons why it is said Revelation 19:12 that no one understands this but he himself:

(1) No one but he can understand its full import, as it implies so high a knowledge of the nature of the Deity;

(2) no one but he can understand the relation which it supposes in regard to God, or the relation of the Son to the Father;

(3) no one but he can understand what is implied in it, regarded as the method in which God reveals himself to his creatures on earth;….”

All worth considering because we can never allow ourselves to separate ‘the word of God” from the person of Jesus Christ and His activities.  I am the words I speak, even so, can the Father’s words be anything less than the expression of Jesus Christ and His activities?

“The Son of God may be called "the Word," because he is the medium by which God promulgates His will and issues His commandments.” Barnes Commentary.

In the wilderness, we find Jesus setting forth the way of escape through the articulation of what He has heard the Father decree.  Our position in times of testing is crucial.  The greater our personal press the greater the need for separation to engage with the one who is our wisdom. The end goal to all testing is to be found perfect and complete that we might receive the crown of life promised to those who love him, James 1: 12.  During testing I must always remember there is a way of escape that I might bear it.  Remember Jesus’ words to the chosen three in Gethsemane “pray, so you won’t enter into temptation.  

Here, we have no options but to go on through.  God offers no shortcuts but the one who tempts us with evil certainly does.  Bow down and worship me.  Embrace the lie, eat the fruit, you won’t die.   

Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil for He is with us.  His rod and His staff comfort us and we never, never, never, lose the ability to be thankful to and for the one who is faithful in all things.  

Driven

Driven into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil ~

And when he (Jesus) came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Spirit immediately drove… (Greek: to lead one forth or away somewhere with a force which he cannot resist)…him out into the wilderness.

Mark 1: 10-12 ESV

James wrote in his epistle concerning temptations, “If any lack wisdom let him ask of God.” I’m trying to hold a new perspective about ‘the pressings’ we all face in life.  If we only had a new word for temptation, testing, and trials and could then understand that it was all a press upon us spirit, soul and body for a very specific purpose; then maybe we would be better at engaging and counting it all joy.   

Let no man say when he is tempted he is tempted of God for God tempts no man with evil.  The central thought James highlights is not that God does not test man, rather, he does not test with anything evil.  Let us never forget God works all things together for good.  Satan works to kill, steal and destroy going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. We are instructed to resist Him.  Submit to God resist the devil and he will flee.

Attitude and activity are required in every moment of temptation.  First is the required submission; the humbling of heart and mind to join with His, then the warfare, if you will, to resist.  Not a passive stance, but one that is fully clothed in the armour of God voiced in Ephesians Six, fighting to hold our ground and to not be moved away in the trying of our faith.

Jesus’ testing came on the heals of the heavens literally being torn apart. This Greek word is the same word used for the Temple Veil being torn when Jesus was crucified.  A divine opening.  I’d like for you to consider that event for a moment.  In my mind I see a violent activity of the Spirit moving through the principalities, powers, rules of darkness in the heavenlies.   With one great blow the Kingdom of Heaven descends to earth.  God comes and inhabits this temple He has created.  God in Spirit, dwelling in man. Jesus, being the first born of many, is His great plan.  The Spirit of God Almighty comes fills and affirms Jesus as the ‘beloved son’.  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ~ Luke 4:1 emphasis on “being full of the Holy Spirit”

All personal revelation must be tested, tried and found purified.  We know from scripture the assailing doubts and the other short cut way Satan offered to Jesus.  We learn exactly from Him how to submit and resist.  Jesus went into the wilderness ‘full of the spirit’, Luke 4 and he comes out in the power of the Spirit.  May every tested opportunity find us so.

Our days ahead hold many opportunities to shine, confident and glorious, not because our world is perfect, but because we are holding fast to the one who is.  He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able but with the temptation will provide (Gr: I make, manufacture, construct) the way of escape, 1 Corinthians 10:13.

All things work to fulfill the purposes of God and in every situation God is at work. His incomparable great power is to us who believe.  We need His wisdom, offered readily and willingly available when sought, to see and hear what He is working in us that is necessary for our good, so we, when tested, come forth purified and fit for our masters use …. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, Luke 4:14. Emphasis on ‘returned in the power of the Spirit’.

Father, in these days, we cry for your presence and power to be displayed within and through your church.  We thank you for the presence of your precious Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.  You are the Holy one who leads us as we walk through life yielded to your workings, yielded to your purpose.  Let us be a people that are purified, washed and cleansed by your word.  You have invited us to be partakers of your holiness so we say come and reign as Lord in your temple.

Amen.

Fully Developed

You must consider it the purest joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, for you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures; but you must let your endurance come to its perfect product, so that you may be fully developed and perfectly equipped without any defects.

James 1:2-4 Williams’ Translation

Understand it’s a bit unclear as to who these ‘dispersed’ people were that James is writing to but they are all individuals finding themselves in the midst of various adverse, pressing, situations.

Before I go any further I want to draw your attention to two other scriptures, both quoting from the Williams' translation.

First, Hebrews 13:20-21 May God, who gives us peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, who through the blood by which He ratified the everlasting covenant, is now the Great Shepherd of the sheep, perfectly fit you to do His will, He Himself, through Jesus Christ, accomplishing through you what is pleasing to Him”.

Next ~

Philippians 2:12 So, my dearly loved friends, as you have always been obedient, so now with reverence and awe keep on working clear down to the finishing point of your salvation…13. For it is God Himself who is at work in you to help you desire it as well as to do it.

My thought for today is our phrase, various trials, which the KJV translates as ‘divers temptations.’  I want to highlight from BARCLAY DAILY WORD STUDY BIBLE a larger understanding of just exactly what these ‘divers temptations’ actually are.

The word temptation is peirasmos ( G3986) , whose meaning we must fully understand, if we are to see the very essence of the Christian life.  Peirasmos ( G3986) is not temptation in our sense of the term; it is testing (trial in the Revised Standard Version). Peirasmos ( G3986) is trial or testing directed towards an end, and the end is that he who is tested should emerge stronger and purer from the testing. The corresponding verb peirazein ( G3985) , which the King James Version usually translates to tempt, has the same meaning. The idea is not that of seduction into sin but of strengthening and purifying. For instance, a young bird is said to test (peirazein, G3985) its wings. The Queen of Sheba was said to come to test (peirazein, G3985) the wisdom of Solomon. God was said to test (peirazein, G3985) Abraham, when he appeared to be demanding the sacrifice of Isaac ( Genesis 22:1). When Israel came into the Promised Land, God did not remove the people who were already there. He left them so that Israel might be tested (peirazein, G3985) in the struggle against them ( Judges 2:22; Judges 3:1; Judges 3:4). The experiences in Israel were tests which went to the making of the people of Israel ( Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 7:19).

If we meet this testing in the right way, it will produce unswerving constancy (or steadfastness as the Revised Standard Version translates it). The word is hupomone ( G5281) , which the King James Version translates as patience; but patience is far too passive. Hupomone ( G5281) is not simply the ability to bear things; it is the ability to turn them to greatness and to glory.

This 'unswerving constancy’ produces in us three things.  Again from Barclay Study Notes we learn ~

(i)  It makes him perfect. The Greek is teleios ( G5046) which usually has the meaning of perfection towards a given end. A sacrificial animal is teleios ( G5046) if it is fit to offer to God. A scholar is teleios ( G5046) if he is mature. A person is teleios (G5046) if he is full grown. This constancy born of testing, well met, makes a man teleios ( G5046) in the sense of being fit for the task he was sent into the world to do. Here is a great thought. By the way in which we meet every experience in life we are either fitting or unfitting ourselves for the task which God meant us to do.

(ii)  It makes him complete. The Greek is holokleros ( G3648) which means entire, perfect in every part. It is used of the animal which is fit to be offered to God and of the priest who is fit to serve him. It means that the animal or the person has no disfiguring and disqualifying blemishes. Gradually this unswerving constancy removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from a man's character. Daily it enables him to conquer old sins, to shed old blemishes and to gain new virtues, until in the end he becomes entirely fit for the service of God and of his fellow-men.

(iii) It makes him deficient in nothing. The Greek is leipesthai ( G3007) and it is used of the defeat of an army, of the giving up of a struggle, of the failure to reach a standard that should have been reached. If a man meets his testing in the right way, if day by day he develops this unswerving constancy, day by day he will live more victoriously and reach nearer to the standard of Jesus Christ himself.

Now, to tie off the additional scriptures from Hebrews and Philippians, we find that this is actually the work of God.  He works to make us vessels of glory fit for his use, 2 Timothy 2:21.  Thus we find the exhortation to count it all joy.

I particularly like the phrase from Williams’ translation, ‘you surely know that what is genuine in your faith produces the patient mind that endures’.  The Apostle Paul reminds us from 2 Cor. 4:17 ‘A momentary light affliction works a far greater weight of glory.’

We are of those who are pressing in for a greater weight of glory so we must embrace the press that will enable us be fully developed and perfectly equipped without any defects. So, count it all joy…..

…to be continued.

Firsts

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.

Revelation 2:2-5 ESV

‘I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But’…… it’s this one word that shifts all of the right activity.

I’ve been reflecting much lately on the ‘looking for and hastening the return of the Lord’ the apostle Peter wrote about in his second letter.  I’m aware that without this expectancy of his return, we don’t really look for it and this impacts every part of our daily lives.

Busy with activities, doings without a vital connection to the one who said ‘apart from me you can do nothing’, John 15:6.   Oh we can do, but the implication is we do this out of our own strength and power without producing any supernatural impact or fruit.  Much like Jesus pointed out in Lukes gospel about the works done but he did not know them, Mt. 7:23.  Jesus accused the religious leaders of carrying out traditions without the power of God, Mark 7:13.

By the time we come to the revelation of Jesus Christ given to the Apostle John we are looking at the second generation of disciples.   As I consider the writings from the New Testament it is clear that these first Christians lived with a daily looking for Jesus to return just as he had ascended, Acts 1:9-11.  It was this one expectation that seemed to be challenged as the days and years went on.  We find varying epistles written to encourage the weary in their waiting.  Towards end of Peter’s life we find him writing specifically to hold disciples to the truth noting the false apostles coming who challenged Jesus’ return, 2 Peter 3.  It is necessary to remember that the last days hold great deception.

Failed expectations create an open door.  Hope deferred makes the heart sick. A sick heart opens us up to the questioning of all we have been taught and believed.  This warning to the church of Ephesus reminds us of how we can fall into a place of works - thinking they are acceptable only to find they require a repentance before the Lord because of our heart condition.  Jesus did not say quit the works, he said get the heart right and do what you did at first.

It is the expectation of his return that holds us in the ‘fear of the Lord’.  Working while it is still day we live making sure our doing does not exceed our being vitally united to Him.  Our motivation for all we do must be rooted and grounded in the love we have for Him and for others.  His compassion must be allowed to flow from us freely and unhindered. Let all you do be done in love, 1 Cor. 16:14. Christ in us is the hope of glory for these days.

Hush, Be still!

But a furious squall of wind came up, and the waves were dashing over into the boat, so that it was fast filling. He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.  So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher, is it no concern to you that we are going down?”  Then he aroused Himself and reproved the wind, and said to the sea “Hush! Be still.”

Mark 4:37-39 Williams Translation.

There’s been much conversation in our culture lately, regarding Mental Health issues.  It seems the stress resulting from the Covid pandemic has been impacting, not just on our bodies, but on our souls as well.

I think the greatest revealing occurring, for Christians, is what was actually shaken in  lives.  While the governments have alleviated most restrictions, the habits formed through out the time have given us a new norm.  Did we build upon our fears or did we find our secret place of hiding in Him while the storm raged?  Either way, we are living in a new norm.  Life will never be the same again.  The question in front of us is not who we are now but who we want to become.

Here’s reality; as believers, we are to reign in chaos. Our goal is to be conformed into the image of Jesus, growing up into Him.  Not a washed up version of Jeanne, but finding myself in Him.  He is to so permeate my being that Jeanne is lost in the revealing of Him.  This is the oneness we are to hold; me in Him, Him in me.  The whole earth is groaning, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.  If we are blown about with every wave that comes, how can we demonstrate to others the calm that resets order.

Our scripture today from the life of Jesus, shows the response we should carry; perfect peace. Isaiah tells us we shall have this perfect peace as our minds are stayed, [to lean, lay, rest, support] on Him.  Minds stayed on him because we trust in Him.  Is. 26:3.  The reality isn’t our circumstances but what our minds are saying in the midst of the swirl around us.

We can image the disciples in this boat.  I don’t know if you have ever been on the open sea with billowing waves, but the first thing that occurs is the imbalance to your equilibrium - sea sick.  This is the only time in my life I ever thought death would be a welcomed relief.  No land in sight and simply the violence of the waves - over and over, unending and you are simply sick.  Don’t touch me, don’t talk to me, don’t move me, sick.  Now this might not have been the case on the boat with a bunch of fisherman who seem to be inured to this kind of imbalance but men seasoned enough to know that when the boat is filling, ‘fast’, they have issues.  Yet, how does this man sleep through it all.  Is it an irritant to them?  Why the question, ‘don’t you care’.  Does it mean get your lazy self up and help? I don’t know what they thought he could do but clearly from the rest of the story they did not think he could simply talk to the elements and produce this kind of calm.  “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him?   We have lessons to learn.  Apparently they are to be learned in the storms of life.

I’m mindful of Paul’s storm; the ship wrecked, the salvation of all and the testimony to a faithful God because of one mans assurance of the Father’s promise.

Sometimes, all we have is the step back, the closed eye, the deep breath with the attachment to the author and giver of life who is the restorer of our souls. It is the way of escape: Be still and know.

Whatever our storms may be in 2023 may we learn to find our rest in Him, not from creating perfectly ‘peaceful’ conditions but engaging in the one who is the Prince of Peace in every storm, and be carriers of His Peace.   

In Conclusion.....

I started these past few weekly words with Jude’s exhortation to earnestly contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.  As I’ve walked through these good words I have wanted to highlight ‘the’ faith.  Not ‘A’ faith but ‘the’  faith that keeps us rooted and grounded in believing that Jesus is the son of God, who was delivered up for our justification and is now seated at the right hand of the Father waiting until his enemies are made a footstool.  This Jesus is the one we look and long for.  It is our testimony that we are citizens of heaven and aliens upon this earth, with eyes and hearts attached to a greater Kingdom, one wherein He rules as King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords.

This is ‘the’ faith that will hold us steady until the end.  This is ‘the’ faith that will enable us to endure and give assurance that Jesus will find faith when he returns.  This is ‘the’ faith that assaults and overcomes the works of darkness.  This is ‘the’ faith that when tried, rejoices in the hope of the glory of God.  This is ‘the’ faith that counts it all joy when me meet trials of any kind.  This is ‘the’ faith that is tested and tried consistently throughout our lives on this earth.  This is ‘the’ faith that is challenged and proven through temptations, tests, and trials……with the question asked, will you stay faithful to me, and then answered.

Three of the gospels tell the story of a rich young ruler coming to Jesus as a teacher and asking what he can do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus tells him to keep the commandments and then begins to recite the ten.  The rich young ruler responds with assurance that he has kept all of those - but still we find unwritten - the reality that those have not satisfied his heart with an assurance of eternal life that is possessed by ‘the faith’.   Matthews gospel of the same story tells us he asks, ‘what do I lack’?   So Jesus goes deeper, as he looks at him and loves him, brings forth the ‘one thing he lacks…..’.

In our daily pursuit to live righteously through our union with the Godhead, if we do not understand the love God has for us, the love of a Father that Jesus revealed to us, the love the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts then we will never subject ourselves to the discipline He gives in those places He finds lacking ‘the faith’ that endures.

Knowing, when Jesus looks at us he loves us.  Knowing His love makes us safe and secure.  Love opens our hearts to hear and receive.

Hebrews 12 teaches us about discipline.  The one the Father loves he disciplines.  If we are left without discipline we are not true sons and daughters, but since we are, we enter into this relationship of love, believing whom the Father loves he disciplines, and  trust Him to do us only good.  We don’t need to make things up, we know in the depths of our hearts when He is bringing us into a place of accountability for heart issues.  We need no man to teach us for our heart condemns us.

If we won’t know and believe the love the Father has for us, we are destined to continue repeating the cycles of lack that reside in our hearts.  We will still find Jesus looking at and loving us. Nothing will separate us from his love and this is a good spot to remember the prodigal son.  He coming to himself, confessed His sin, and return to His Father who was watching and waiting.

I’ve said for many many years it is always a matter of faith - a heart that trusts God in and through all things to stay in union with Him.

He looks at the rich young ruler and loves him - discerning his greatest need for life and setting it before Him.  Jesus’ very words were enough for the rich young ruler to walk forward with Him into ‘the faith’ He offered.

Hebrew’s exhorts, it is because of this great love he disciplines, that we might bring forth peaceful fruits of righteousness. Therefore, we are to lift up hands that hang down.  We are to strengthen the weak knees and make straight paths for our feet so what is lame (lacking) may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

As our days grow darker, what and who we trust will continue to be revealed in us as He works to prepare His people for his return.  It’s easy to assure yourself you are wired tight enough never to be moved, but again we only see this as it is tested and revealed.  It is tested and revealed to us through His great love and for the purpose of healing what is lacking, unto life.

One final thought ~ Psalm 23 tells us when the Lord is our Shepherd, we lack nothing.  Lack exists where we have moved from the paths of righteousness. It is only as we return (just like the prodigal son) to the bishop and overseer of our souls; the good Shepherd, we find restoration and rest; that is goodness and mercy with tables set before us in the presence of our enemies.  His ways are always best and right for us.

Let us never lose sight of this as we continue to earnestly contend for ‘the’ faith that has been delivered to us and may the God of peace be with us all.

Testing of Our Faith

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”  Matthew 7:24

Can there be faith where there is no obedience?  The children of Israel were led in a very specific way so that God could test them and see what was in their heart.  It’s true, isn’t it, that testing reveals the issues of our hearts.  Hebrews tells us Israel was unable to enter into the promise land with Moses because of their evil heart of unbelief.

Testing proves whether we are living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God or by our own thoughts, feelings, opinions and judgments.   

Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered.  Described as faithful, Hebrews 2:17; 3:2; Rev. 1:5; Jesus, shows he was not only full of faith, but faithful to do all the Father commanded of him. Proverbs reminds us we all proclaim our own faithfulness however as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.  We don’t really know what is in our hearts until the test comes.  If we love Him we will keep his commandments. John 14:15

Our faith always acts on the thing we have believed.  Our words confirm our belief system but our actions prove it. Words and actions that aren’t in agreement simply don’t square.  Jesus reminds us a house divided is not able to stand.  Could this be the entrance of many of the troubles we face, this dis-agreement with what God has said?   Disagreement can be seen in our disobedience.  Again, our actions prove what we believe.  Remember what the apostle James wrote: a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

The instability that comes with our doubting can only be resolved with a faith that comes from continually feeding on what God has said and then simply doing what He has directed.   This is the building upon the rock that God says is wisdom.

If you continue

IF indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. 

Col. 1:23 

It’s just too easy to disconnect when life gets ugly.  We must be those who are prepared to endure hardness as good soldiers with an understanding trials, temptations, persecutions and sufferings, as believers, are absolutely normal. We face daily the pressures to live by faith.  Everything in our world demands faith.  

Our faith is not given to avoid hardships but rather enabling us to stay firmly established and stedfast, not moved, not giving up, not casting away our confidence in HIM.  

The principal of faith is universal and is daily applied by everyone. We have faith in our doctors, banks, government, parents, etc. etc.  You name it.   At some point, we as believers shifted our’s from the natural to the spiritual and placed our primary trust in God.  We made a choice to believe that He is, and He is a rewarder for those who diligently seek Him.  

Paul highlights in our verse today four words that delineate the condition for our salvation.  

    * IF 

    * continue 

    * firmly…established and stedfast

    * unmoved. 

If we continue in the faith presents our first requirement in order to be presented before our Father, holy and blameless and above reproach before him. We don’t get to simply live the benefits of a legal truth without the vital practice of that truth.  Christ has done his part to reconcile us through the body of flesh by his death; now we must do our part…continue in the faith, believing every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God.  

This ongoing lifestyle is marked by a faith that is firmly established and stedfast; which makes me think of those who build on the rock with the storms assaulting yet remaining unmoved, because they have been built upon a firm foundation.  

The need to continue in what we have heard, seen, received and believed provides the foundation for being firmly established and steadfast.  It gives us the ability to rightly divide all words that come to us.  We are able to discern accusations that would separate us in our relationship with the Father and/or others.  With that understanding, we have the right, responsibility and ability to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive and bring it into obedience of Christ; 2 Cor. 10:5.  

It is through continuing, this daily searching of the scriptures, participating with the teaching and leadership of the Holy Spirit that the word implanted is able to save our souls.  It is the continuing in this word that the revelation of Jesus illuminates our hearts and minds and we become not simply hearers of a word but doers, thus removing from our lives the potential for deception. 

What I give my meditation towards, shapes the framework of my believing i.e. faith.  The principle of faith is that it is increased by hearing the word of God. Romans 10:17.  Since this is the principle of God - Satan who is a counterfeit in all things - presents his lies and strategies through the words he brings.  It matters what and who we give time and attention to.  

Disciples are to attend to the word.  Give attention and meditation to the word.  They are to hold the knowledge of God through the word He has spoken so that it could be written, heard and read and repeated.

It is through the continuing of this process we are firmly established and not moved from the gospel we have heard.  Our trust is continually strengthened because we continue feeding and fellowshipping with Him. 

Contend for the Faith

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.  Jude 3

I found the following information from the Lexham Bible Dictionary helpful as I studied the book of Jude….

The church addressed in this letter had already heard the apostles’ original message, believed it, and accepted it; however, they had not received any new revelation for some time. The church members were waiting for Jesus, but were unclear how to live through a time of great change and challenge without receiving new guidance. False teachers, who claimed to have new revelations from a higher source, infiltrated the church, causing division and conflict as they attempted to replace the original apostles’ message. These “others,” or opponents, felt they were no longer limited by the ethical side of the Jewish law and could live any way they wanted to without sinning. In essence, they preached that their new “spiritual” revelation replaced the message the original apostles had brought to the church.

In this letter, the author confronts this challenge to the true message of the apostles. The letter addresses the following questions:

• Whether the church should change with the times to take advantage of the most modern view of what it means to be a Christian or remain faithful to the original apostolic message.

• The true definition of faith and orthodoxy in a changing world.

• How the church could defend itself from a distorted message that threatened to corrupt it.

These questions are still prevalent in His church today.  Regardless of when Jesus returns, we are to be a people prepared and preparing others, looking for and hastening His return, which will keep our lives holy and godly while we wait, 2 Peter 3:11.12.

If Judes letter was written to those first Christians, the return of Jesus in their lifetime was first and foremost in their expectation.  With ‘delay’ there is always temptation to doubt and examine, which made them susceptible to new thought from new teachings.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to examine everything carefully; holding fast to that which is good, abstaining from every form of evil.  In the examination, #1381 dokimazo: refers to confirming ("proving") something is genuine, i.e. not overtly to disprove it.  It shows something passes the necessary test (scrutiny, examination) – "to prove with a view to approve" (Vine, Unger, White, NT, 22).  

We are to find the good, steering clear of any evil that would be suggested.  Try to remember it’s the heart of man that allows temptation to birth sin. It’s the want to’s we carry.  It’s not what we do, but why we do it.  It might start with thoughts and feelings, but it touches the hearts desires.

As the church moves forward in these days, we will find much ‘new’ being offered.  It’s simply the way of man.  The eyes of man are never satisfied.  One generation to the next seeks to be different from the last.  But there is one thing that is eternal and will never change and that is Jesus, the eternal, everlasting word of God.  He is the rock of our salvation, our firm foundation.  We don’t add to that.  We build upon it as He reveals to us His purpose, plans, times and seasons.  We don’t take His words and wrestle them to our own destruction, twisting and perverting them because of our lack of understanding, 2 Peter 3:16.

Because He works through man, and man is fallible, we must examine all things and prove the good in them by looking at them through the lens of His word.  He is the standard for which all things are judged, Acts 17:31.   

Judes exhortation to the church to keep free from all error was to build themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping themselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of Jesus Christ, the Lord who leads to eternal life.

These eternal words will continue to hold us steady, faithful and true to Him while we wait.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, though Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Living by faith

“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”  Habakkuk 2:4

• Romans 1:17 – “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

• Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

• Hebrews 10:38 – “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Moving into 2023, I am aware that life will hold much ‘light and glory’ in the workings of God but will also be paralleled with great works of darkness.  In this setting we will be tempted to move from our place of steadfastness and confidence in God and His promises.  Our scripture today highlights our great need to hold fast to those things we have known, learned, seen and believed.

Keys to our ability to continue living a life by faith will be seen as we…

• hold fast our places of community, (encourage one another as you see the day approaching);

• To strengthen our divine connections (no division)

• To continue our press into Him (holding fast to the head)

We need Him and we will need each other.

I’m not asking you to adhere to a formula of faith, but rather holding fast to the one who is faithful.  I am unable to control the circumstances of my life through my confidence in my faith, but I am always able to control my responses to them. I’ve learned, and continually learn, faith is the heart condition I must guard to stay unified with the Father and the others I am divinely connected to.

All of us have lived though seasons we have not understood, and moving forward I ‘feel’ we will see more of these moments occurring.  Our need will be an unshakeable faith in God.  ‘Have faith in God’ is one requirement Jesus set before His disciple. Our work is ‘to believe in the Father and His son’.   I love this little Greek word in, ‘eis’ which literally means ‘into’.  We are to be leaning ‘into’ the Father and His son to become one with them.  This keeps us vitally connected to our Father and the Lordship of Jesus as the Holy Spirit guides us through any and all circumstances we meet.  You know you only lean into someone you trust, i.e. someone you have faith in.

Jesus made sure we would understand the pressures faced in this world. He warned and promised us that the one who endures to the end shall be saved.  The only way we are able to endure is to make sure we are absolutely steeped in our union with Him. This act of believing ‘into’ is to find the confidence in the love and care God has for us as Father.  This alone produces security and steadfastness with righteousness, peace and joy in our inner man as we pass through our circumstances.

I’ll leave you with this last scripture ~

“…without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”.

Let us find in this year disciplined hearts and minds to hold the command of Jesus ~ ‘have faith in God’ and in every step let us see our faith exercised in loving one another even as we have been loved.

Christmas 2022

At Christmas we focus on Christ’s birth and wonder at the fulfillment of God’s promise to a people.  A child came forth that was to be the Saviour for all mankind.

“Good news of great joy, for unto us is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”   Luke 2:11

“…we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.” 1 Tm 4:10

Most of the Western Church celebrates Advent (from Latin adventus, “coming”), a period of preparation leading up to Christmas Day that celebrates the birth of Jesus, but did you know though, that Advent also signifies a time of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ?

A bit of trivia for us today ~ By the 6th century, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. But the “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming into the manger in Bethlehem, but his second coming in the clouds as the judge of the world. It was not until the Middle Ages that the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas. See further https://www.up.edu/garaventa/did-you-know/meaning-advent.html

The Apostle Peter, from His second epistle, chapter three, wrote and admonished the church as She awaits His return,~

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

The first disciples had watched Jesus leave this earth and lived with the expectation he was coming back again, in the same way.

And when he (Jesus) had said these things, as they (disciples) were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10n And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  Acts 1:10-11

We too must live knowing Jesus is coming again. His return will be for all to see Him in the fulness of His majesty, the King of Kings and Lord of all Lords. We have this assurance because God’s word was proven true with the birth of Jesus.  It surely remains true about His second coming.  His birth is the proof, the sign and the earnest given that assures us of His return.

Revelation, chapter twenty-two closes with these following promises ~

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”

A clever man once said, “Every advent leads to adventure and there is no adventure without an advent” and so we add our yes and Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!

May this advent open unto us the adventures His life and Kingdom set before as we, not only celebrate his birth, but look for and hasten his return.

From our home to yours, David and I pray for you to have a truly blessed Christmas filled with the wonder of our Lord and Saviour as you hold great expectations for the New year.

In His Love ~

Jeanne   

A Good Word 2023 begins January 08.

Wonderful

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…

Isaiah 9:6

Christmas speaks to me of some very basic qualities of love, joy, peace, and generosity; all seen in the story of a child being born and a son being given.

From Lukes gospel with see the angel appearing to the shepherds with ‘good news of great joy for all people’.  From Johns gospel, we read this son is given because God ‘so loved the world that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’. Ephesians chapter two sets before us Jesus as our Peace.  All of this speaks to me of the abounding riches of God poured out through His spirit of generosity which resounds unto Him with great thanksgiving and praises.

We call him Wonderful ~

As I began to search for the definition of ‘wonderful’ both from the Hebrew and English, I found some insights I thought would be interesting to share.

First, the Hebrew word simply means ‘a wonder’ .  Then our current English definition has taken on this meaning ~ inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvellous and finally from the Merriam-Webster website, I discovered the fascinating etymology of this word.

“Noah Webster was working on his great dictionary at the time Jefferson’s letter was written, and indeed he only presented one sense of wonderful in his 1828 dictionary:

WONDERFUL, adjective Adapted to excite wonder or admiration; exciting surprise; strange; astonishing. Job 42:3.

He leaves a biblical reference without printing the text (the stingy Yankee presumably wished to save space), but it’s clear that wonderful in this Old Testament passage means “astonishing” and not “extremely good”:

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
—Job 42:3”

We can understand now as we read the gospels how the Pharisees and Sadducees, even Jesus’ own home town,  stumbled over this natural, common man, who had nothing about his personage that was ‘wonderful’ except that he himself was a wonder.

Jesus went about preaching a Gospel about a heavenly Father and His Kingdom, healing the sick, conquering natural elements, he was a sign and a wonder; a stumbling block for many, a living stone for others.

“…while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles…”

Hebrews 2:4

His name shall be called Wonderful is the Fathers declaration, but as we acknowledge His name as Wonderful it serves to hold us in the fear of the Lord.  As we move into and through Christmas, let our hearts and minds hold the unending knowledge of His great name and may this Christmas Season restore the Wonder of our Lord and Saviour before us all.

Here’s the website link from the merriaim-webster article “How wonderful lost it’s sense of wonder”, if your interested  ~

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/wonderful-word-history-evolution

Glorified Through Death

The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Now my soul is troubled and What shall I say, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.  Father glorify your name.

John 12:23, 27-28

I’m going to use Jesus as our example for engaging in this process of “denying self, take up your cross and follow me”.  Jesus endured His cross because He had a joy set before him.  I personally believe His joy was seeing the fruit “much fruit” that would come from the seed of his life sown through death.

‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’   John 12:24.

Jesus went on to say that if we hold a greater love for our life in comparison to the love we hold for him it will actually cause us to lose our life.  It is only by keeping our love for him first and foremost that enables us to follow him in service and receive the Fathers honour.

‘If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.’  John 12: 26

My personal place of stumbling, through these moments of dying to self, are always centred around me paying too much attention to what I perceive as my loss.  Yet, I think this is the process.  Our souls are troubled.  There must be a revealing of what lies in our hearts; the thing(s) we treasure above the following, serving, dying.  We examine the fear that would cause us to draw back.  We wrestle with spiritual forces that would assault the Fathers will. We enter the press until we stand submitted and joyfully obedient to move forward as we have conformed to His will.  We have committed all to the one who judges righteously and trusting Him we rise to glorify His Name.

Many of Jesus ‘followers’ left in mass when the greater commitment to intimacy (eat my flesh, drink my blood) was required.

The rich young ruler stumbled over his great riches and turned away.

Pharisees stumbled over their traditions.

And we won’t know where, or if, we will stumble until we are met with our hour.

What shall we say when it comes; “Father save me from this or help me walk through it?”  Our souls will be troubled.  Jesus, in an agony, prayed more earnestly as he sweat great drops of blood.  Hebrews points out “we have not yet resisted to the shedding of blood.”  Jesus’ prayer here from the gospel of Mark highlights his sorrow. Understanding the Father could change everything, yet willing to submit to the Fathers greater purpose, He arose.

The gate is narrow and the path is hard that leads to life.   

Like Jesus we must also hold the joy of knowing that much fruit, birthed from our willingness to embrace His grace, enduring and allowing the seeds of our lives to fall into the soil of His purpose and ultimately dying bring forth life unto His great glory.

Jesus sets before every disciple the narrow gate with a ‘hard way’ that leads to life and  only a few choose this path.

Helps word Study reveals ‘hard’  as #2346 thlíbō (the root of 2347 /thlípsis, reflecting an original "b"/bēta) – properly, rub together, constrict (compress), i.e. pressed together; (figuratively) oppressively afflict (distress), i.e. like when circumstances "rub us the wrong way" that make us feel confined (hemmed in); restricted to a "narrow" place. See 2347 (thlipsis).

Could Jesus’ statement, ‘many are called but few are chosen’ hinge on our choices?

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him..…… Philippians 2:5-9

Glorified through death.

The Fear of Death

The fear of death

“…and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

Hebrews 2:15 ESV

• NIV ~ “and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

• NLT ~ “Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

HELPS WORD STUDY

Slavery:  Cognate: 1397 douleía (a feminine noun) – bondage, a brand of slavery (enslavement). See 1401 (doulos).

1401 doúlos (a masculine noun of uncertain derivation) – properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. Ironically, 1401 /doúlos ("bond-slave") is used with the highest dignity in the NT – namely, of believers who willingly live under Christ's authority as His devoted followers.

Thayers Notes ~

ἔνοχος, ἔνοχον, equivalent to ὁ ἐνεχόμενος, one who is held in anything, so that he cannot escape; bound, under obligation, subject to, liable: with the genitive of the thing by which one is bound, δουλείας, Hebrews 2:15; used of one who is held by, possessed with, love and zeal for anything; ……. which makes me mindful of Jesus saying you can’t serve two masters!

We look at this verse and think of the physical aspect of death and while there is that, I do believe the great reality is the death processes we work out daily.  The invite to “deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Jesus”, is something we all must choose on every occasion our will is crossed with His.

This invite; to deny self, is the first of three steps ~ deny self; take up your cross and then follow Jesus.  We are to follow exactly as prescribed for wholeness. You can’t do three before one and two.   We find divine order set before us.  His way is narrow and there is a press to unload every thing that would hinder our entrance.

Hebrews 2:15 touches the problem we face in step one; the fear of dying that must be dealt with.  This fear of death touches so many areas of heart and mind, thoughts and feelings where the process of dying leaves one vulnerable and exposed; but without doing so, I cannot follow Jesus.  He, for the joy set before Him, endured all the shame, betrayal, rejection of man and friend as He yielded Himself to the Fathers greater purpose.  I’ve always been a tad bit disturbed by Isaiah 53:10 and thankful for the end of verse 11.  What Jesus chose to endure does benefit all of humanity.

Our death to self worked through in Jesus will always yields a greater benefit for the greater good - mine and others.

The process always begins with the willingness to acknowledge my fear and then and only then can I begin to allow and receive His perfect love to dispel my fears.

Hebrews tells us it is through this fear of death, that we are held in bondage, held in a position of slavery. My desire to ‘care’ for me is my greater love.  Revelation reminds us those who overcome did not love their life to the extent it prevented their obedience.

Please go back and note Thayer's comments;  “one who is held by, possessed with, love and zeal for anything;”

We face our true love every time we meet the crossroad of His will and mine. There is nothing about the process that enables us to escape pain free.  It sometimes seems to come with as much agony as we saw displayed by Jesus in the garden.  We must not only know, we must also believe, with the temptation, He provides a way of escape.

We are not left helpless or alone as we die to self.  We have help, grace and peace flowing to us from the Godhead.  The question is whether or not I will come to Him and receive what He has to give.

Again, it is only his perfect love that has the power to dispel this fear of death.  We can’t serve two masters. I die daily, that’s my choice and the road to abundant life.

We've Left Everything

Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”   

Mt 19:27  NLT

A very relatable sentiment, and one I’ve certainly felt and asked in forty-seven years of being a disciple.  We don’t necessarily come into salvation understanding the cost required to follow Jesus.  I know I didn’t.  I came full of expectations of what Jesus was going to do for me.  As I grew in the knowledge of His word, I began to see what was required.  Every further step demanded I increasingly adopted John’s truth of there being less of me and more of Him.  A process of dying to self in order to become a yielded vessel fit for His use.  The funny thing (not haha) about this process was that I was in absolute control of how long it took.  I understand the wilderness journey of one more time around Mount Sinai.  The longer I insist on keeping my interests in the centre of all my questions, the harder it is to hear what He is saying.

So Peter’s question, “What will we get” is met basically with Jesus saying, ‘nothing now.’

“Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”

While we understand there are benefits to serving Him here and now, we don’t live and work for those.  We strive in our service for all things that have eternal value, laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven.

• We are to spend and be spent ~ 2 Corinthians. 12:15.

• We are to lend expecting nothing in return ~ Luke 6:35.

• We are to be the servants that have simply done our duty ~ Luke 17:10.

Through it all, we live with an understanding that a life of willing obedience does come with blessings both here and now but since eternity is, well forever, how much more shall we set our hearts on those rewards.

Jesus reminds us that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things simply rob our attention and thus our devotion.  We end up serving another with our fear and cares. It is a day to continually be pruning any place we are tempted to love the things of this world that pull us away from the reality of the eternal rewards that come from leaving everything to follow Him.

If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hoped only in this life [and this is all there is], then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. If we live for only this life, we are of all men most miserable.  1 Corinthians. 15:19 Amplified 2015

What do you see?

You might be familiar with this old hymn we taught to children  “Be careful little eyes what you see, Be careful little ears what you hear …”.  It highlights that our Father up above is watching so be careful what you attend to.

We are familiar that Proverbs admonishes us to attend to the word of God.  King David wrote a Psalm saying he would not set any wicked thing before his eyes.  Jesus did say in Matthews gospel, if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

The reality is that we see, what we look at and consider long enough, does give influence to our lives. So beyond the brief glance I am really focusing on the things we give ourselves liberty to continually look at.  Some things are better left unseen all together but like Paul wrote, we would then need to go out of the world.

Jesus, from his sermon on the mount in Matthews’ gospel chapter six tells us,

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, [*good, single, clear, sound] your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.“ Verses 21-22

With the analogy on the eye, Jesus from Matthew 6:19,  begins his teaching with the treasure of the heart. Treasure’s shaped by what our eyes see and our heart’s value.  Proverbs tells us the eye of man is never satisfied and thus we are to guard what we give our attention to.  Where our treasure is, there we find our heart.  James wrote the   lust of the eyes is a temptation in this world.  All that glitters is not gold.  Jesus reminded his church in Laodicea, though they said they were rich and had need of nothing, they were really wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.  His counsel was to anoint their eyes so that they might see their true condition.

The eye is the entrance to this earthly temple.  We see, we think, we feel, we believe.  It’s a natural process God created.  What and how we see, ultimately moves through these God designed channels and drops into our hearts.  Then out of the abundance of our heart come the issues of life and the words that we sow unto life and or death; it all begins with what we were looking at.    

Never allow yourself to be deceived into thinking you do not have the ability to choose what you give your attention to. For the normal individual ‘I can’t help it’ is a deception. For the Christian it is a blinding lie.  Short of an extreme forced upon us, we all live with the  power of choice.

The story from Numbers 21 about the bronze serpent set on a pole for healing tells us that those who had a fixed stare lived.  It wasn’t enough to just run to the pole and glance at it but they had to intently look at it and consider.    We find the same condition  when Eve considered the fruit of the tree.  How long did she have to look at the fruit to change her mind about it being good, right to eat?

The ‘not to bad’ we allow in our lives do carry a power to change us.   

The cares of this world work to demand our attention.  We try to find a way of escape without actually coming to the one who can provide the confidence and rest we really seek.  We are invited to lift up our eyes, to behold the Lamb, to consider Jesus, and to come up higher.  All invites we are familiar with.  Ones we must heed.

Matthew wrote, ‘if our eye is healthy our whole body will be full of light’. It is the light that dispels darkness.  Jesus is the light that illuminates.

• The entrance of his word gives light.

• He sends his word and heals us and delivers us from all destruction.

• If our eye is bad the whole body will be full of darkness.

• If our eye is good our whole body will be full of light.

Let us consider those things that do not lead us into life. Let us consider the foxes that spoil the vine and choose to lay aside all that does not profit us nor build up His body.

Author and Finisher

I would like to continue this week with thoughts on God’s building program with a reminder from Hebrews 3:4, “every house is built by someone but the builder of all things is God.”

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”  Phil. 1:6 NLT

“For it is God at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure, therefore do all things without murmuring and complaining so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world…” Philippians 2:13

Let us never lose sight of the fact that what God has authored, He will finish.  He holds the master plan of returning and setting up His glorious kingdom.  As simple vessels created for His use, we should be mindful that we are used as long as we are useful to Him, therefore, do all things without murmuring and complaining.  We do hold admonitions about being faithful stewards, stedfast and enduring.  Mindful of these, we do not cast away our confidence or allow weariness of heart and mind to settle in.

I think sometimes our mindsets towards a benevolent God, gracious, loving and kind, overlook the reality of a returning King who will judge all according to His standard of righteousness. His judgment will be upon all sin.  We do not want to be found living with any practice that God calls sin.  It will be a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God, especially if we have squandered our stewardship in this earthly realm, giving ourselves to the pleasures of this world.   

There is a press we all live in.  A press that draws us to Him, a press that pulls us away.  I suppose it’s the same press, just our response to it that either enables us to increase with the increase of God or creates such disappointment and discouragement we invariably draw back.  Hebrews reminds us we are not those who draw back unto perdition but those that endure to the saving of our souls.  We press on to the prize of the upward call in Christ.

We live mindful of duty and service to our King.  Each created vessel is fitted and equipped, perfectly prepared for the masters use.  We are set into what He has authored.  Fitted into the body of Christ, we are individual members, living stones, set as it pleases Him to work towards the finish.

As long as it is called today, He continues to work on His spiritual house providing for Him a dwelling place with man now, here on the earth.  His plan, His purposes shall be fulfilled.  We are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.   

“For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

2 Cor 6:16

The Father continues working and instructs his sons and daughters. I grow increasingly more grateful for the work He is doing these days, choosing to believe that what He has started He will finish.

The little suitcase

BY DAVID MCGREW

One day, decades ago, I heard a knock on the door.  It came so late it was unexpected but I got up and opened it out of curiosity.

It my astonishment, outside on my shabby and worn front porch, leading into the messy and thrown together living room common to the seventies and 20 year old’s barely making it through life, stood Jesus…seemingly oblivious to where He was or whom He was talking to; except that He seemed enormously happy to be there, with that one little suitcase in His hand.

Not knowing what to say, as He stood smiling, I eventually muttered “Please come in.”

So, with suitcase in hand, He walks on in, looking for all the world like He’s called ahead and is prepared to stay. No one was more surprised than I.  Not the least of which, over that one little suitcase. It seemed…out of place.

As we sit and make small talk, He opens the case and says “ I want you to look at this.”  It’s a Bible. It’s the only thing in it.

Probably unbeknownst to Him, I think, I’ve just coincidentally had some kind of spiritual experience that for some reason makes this idea unexpectedly attractive. So, I pick it up and for the first time in my life, the words pour off the pages like music notes and sing a harmony to my soul. It was like water to the desert of my heart. That was REALLY unexpected. (I think, I should do this regularly. I might even learn how to play a chord or two someday.)

Well, a day’s visit turns into a week’s stay. I think he’s staying on now cause He Reallllyyy seems to like Jeanne and is way more than passingly kind to our infant daughter. He seems to have made and is making Himself home.  I dont know what to think cause His appearance has changed everything and everyone in my life, but I know it’s good.  But I don’t know how long this can go on. I’m sure I need to be somewhere else…eventually.

In just a short matter of time though, He’s opened His case and taken out more books. He asks me to look at them and tell him what I think. Well, the bible was so good I say “sure”.  Again He’s proven right.  They were really good books and we had good talks. You would’ve hardly known He knew more than me but as gentle as He was, that did eventually come clear.

While I was busy reading, He said “I’ve got some other friends in town I’d like you to meet. Can they come over?” Of course I agreed but I couldn’t help notice how he seemed to be taking over. I caught him looking at my wall feature particle board on cinder block bookcase. When he knew he had my attention He said, “You mind throwing this away so I can have some room here?”  Well, I wasn’t too particularly attached to any of it- fact is, I wasn’t too particularly attached, though I wasn’t aware of it, to much of anything in those days,so I said again “sure”.  His friends came over. We went to their house. He seemed to actually know a lot more people than I had ever imagined.

He never did go home. Or, at least He never took His stuff and left. I don’t honestly know what He did. Every night, I went to bed He was still up. Every rising, He was there as if patiently waiting on me. I’vs no idea what He does when I’m not looking. I’ve often thought in these years, “ I wonder who He thinks I am, cause He’s certainly got to have better friends than me” -but to this day, regardless of when I awake or how I come out of that room, He’s sitting there looking at me with that same wide eyed expression of joy He met me on the porch with those decades ago. I’ve given up on the unreasonable fear that one day He’d see through me and say “Hey! I thought you were someone else. I’m leaving.”

Whew.  As I look around me now, I no longer recognise my home- I don’t say house as I’ve had many houses in many different locations since then, I say home intentionally. ( yes, in case you’re wondering, He did follow me from house to house…more than once, he even suggested and encouraged some of those moves. In truth, when I tried to slip off elsewhere assuming He might stay behind, when I got up the next day, He’d followed and found me wherever on the planet I had escaped to.  At times He’s been more committed to being my friend than I was His.)

My home now; as I look around, somewhere wall by wall, floor-space foot by foot, paint colour, paintings, pictures, maps, books and cases, furniture- the refrigerator (and what was in it) has all changed. But I don’t know how or when.

Seemingly, one thing at a time as I remember back, He’d look around and say “I need a little more room.”  Opening that same little suitcase, He’d say “Do you mind If we take that down so I can hang this in our house?, you don’t have to if you don’t want to of course.”

Sometimes I had to think about it a while. I was always worried about what my friends might say but after a while, His friends became my friends and my friends who didn’t like Him actually stopped liking me and quit coming around.

I don’t know how He got all that stuff out of that one little suitcase.  For that matter, I don’t know what He did with all the things we took down from the walls, out of the refrigerator or off of the bookcase. I didn’t do much with any of it after that.

As I sit and look around, my bookcase has become massive and massively filled with all sorts of books I had never known to have been printed. These days, He and I read a lot. We sit with a book, of some kind, on one of our laps and one reads aloud to the other. He makes comments, I ask questions. Well, sometimes I make comments but He usually just gets another book out to read an excerpt from.

I can’t really explain how I got here. I’m not even sure of where I’m at. I just know I like it a lot.

Looking back, I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been had I not invited Him and His little suitcase into that little house that was still learning to become a home. I can’t imagine ( beyond where all that stuff came from!) what would’ve become of me, and my home, had I said ‘No- you’re taking over. Can you just put that back. I like my own stuff.’

What I especially marvel at is how He knew just what and when to ask me to replace.  The extraordinary patience He exercised to wait and see for myself that I really did like His things better.

And all out of that little, and rather worn,  suitcase.