Transformation is a process

There are many things required of us as children of God. The first and foremost is to be come like Him.  We have been given power to become sons of God, John 1:12.…. and predestined to be conformed to his image, Romans 8:29.  Instructed to grow up into Him, in all things, Ephesians 4:15, only takes place as we behold Him.  How patient and kind he is in our pursuit within this process. 

As I said in the beginning, the first place this occurs is through our prayerful meditation on the word of God. It is as we meditate on the word that the picture of who He is begins to take shape within our spiritual imagination. 

Transformation can only occur as we behold Him.  Learning how he thought, how he walked, seeing what he did and how he did it, are the examples we are to follow. 

This isn’t an overnight occurrence but transpires through a lifetime of diligence. Our Father uses all manner of circumstances to develop this new character within us.  Thank God for the help he has given us.  As we grow in this process we do so by the grace He gives with our eyes on Him as the author and finisher of our faith so we do not grow weary in well doing. 

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Philippians 2:12-14 have been highlighted verses in my life.  As I meet obstacles, I am reminded that in the midst there is a work of God being worked in and out of me. Growth really began as I took to heart  verse 14 and stopped the murmuring and complaining in my attempts to obey.  

We will, in this earthly tabernacle, always be dealing with our will and our obedience.  When the two meet and form a willing and obedient heart we begin to see the joy Jesus held within his obedience. 

This is a growth process and one that must be learned.  The Father is gracious to give us the opportunities needed to learn.  Just like Jesus, we will learn obedience by the things we suffer. And of course the greatest suffering we do is that place of alignment to His will as we die to our own.  The writer of Hebrews is kind of enough to remind us, we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.  

Eyes upon Him is the way of staying strengthened and refreshed.  He said abide in Me for a reason. We have never been destined to this life apart from Him.  

Let us be faithful in our pursuit and process to become as He is. 

He takes away sin

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

John 1:29

   The word Behold is recorded in biblehub.org over 1800 times in the King James version of the Bible. It is derived from the Greek word eidó: be aware, behold, consider, perceive.  

From Helps Word Studies we learn ~ 

1492 /eídō ("seeing that becomes knowing") then is a gateway to grasp spiritual truth (reality) from a physical plane. 1492 (eídō) then is physical seeing (sight) which should be the constant bridge to mental and spiritual seeing (comprehension).which has the literal translation of: .  

Our English definition is “to perceive through sight or apprehension : see. 2. : to gaze upon : observe.

Our scripture highlights our first needed awareness of Jesus.  We are to behold Him first as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.  The good news for us is that He became the sin bearer for all mankind that we might become right in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 5:21.  

Fulfilling Old Testament prophecies Jesus ~ ‘was led as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth’; Isaiah 53;7; Acts 8:32 and still more fitting, ‘the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all, Isaiah 53:6 and  By His knowledge shall He justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11.  

It is as we come into an awareness of our own original spiritual condition; dead and separated from God, we must find our way back to what was abdicated, union with our heavenly Father. For by one man sin entered and death through sin.  Death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12.  Sin entered into the human race through one man, Adam in the garden of Eden, and in dying (spiritually) he died (naturally).  “In dying thou shalt die.  Roman 6:23 adds, ‘the wages of sin are death…”  

We find in John’s declaration the one who had been prepared from the foundation of time, Christ, our passover lamb, has been sacrificed to provide a way of escape from the nature and effects of sin.  The cause and effects of sin were dealt with through his sacrificial offering, death on the cross, Heb 2:14; 1 John 3:8-10.

While Jesus has destroyed the power of sin through His death, burial and resurrection, it is still required of man to believe and acknowledge the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved from this place of spiritual death, Romans 10:9 and be reconciled to God. In this new birth, we count ourselves dead to sin and alive unto God and present ourselves to Him as an instrument of righteousness, allowing no sin to reign in our mortal bodies, Romans. 6.  

Beholding Him gives us pause to remember who He is, what He has done, what it has given us, creating much thanksgiving. 

It is as we now Behold the Lamb, we do so with the understanding that our nature has been redeemed through his precious gift of life and blood poured out.  We find the way back into fellowship with our Heavenly Father through his son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus declares from John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus’ own proclamation that we who are poor in Spirit are blessed!  Without a recognition that we need/needed a saviour, we cannot begin our journey as a disciple with one who is not only our Saviour but our Lord. 

As we Behold the Lamb, we are continually mindful of the gift of life He has given and continues to give.  He is ever living to make intercession, His work continues to wash and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and present us before our Father holy and blameless. 

“…if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8.If we saywe have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truthis not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.…1 John 1:7-9

This then, is not only our entrance into fellowship but it is the very thing that maintains and develops our union with Him.

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

Righteous Judgment by Sarah Primus

Good Morning ~ it is my privilege to share with you this word written by Sarah Primus.  Sarah pastors alongside her husband Paul @keystonevictoria.  David and I have had the wonderful privilege of overseeing their life and ministry from the time they joined us in Victoria in 2009.  In 2018 David and I transitioned this work over to their pastoral leadership and we are blessed by the depth and wealth of spiritual life they carry and impart to the body of Christ.  I am confident these words today will bless you, as they have me.  / Jeanne

I hope you will take the time to check out Sarah’s IG feeds. @thepropheticmama or @sprimus.  
 

 If we're well-versed in scripture, it's easier than we think to assume we know how God views something. Knowledge of scripture must lead us to relationship with the Author. There are so many truths that are held in tension by a seemingly opposite truth. I.e. God is a merciful Father, but also the just Judge. It takes knowledge of scripture AND relationship with Holy Spirit to be able to discern which truth to apply when.

We see this in the life of Jesus when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Satan used scripture to try to get Jesus to prove His sonship, but Jesus used another truth to stand against the temptation. (See Matthew 4). Both scriptures were true, but Jesus, being one with the Father, knew which one to apply in the moment.

Holding righteous judgements requires the same type of relationship with Holy Spirit that Jesus had if we are to discern the mind and will of God. We must remember that though we are made in the image of God, He is God and He sees and thinks different than us. Isaiah 40:13 says,“Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?” 

1 Corinthians 2:16 says,"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’But we have the mind of Christ.” What is the mind of Christ? He only said the things He heard the Father say and only did the things He saw the Father doing (John 5:19; 12:49). In 1 Corinthians 2:11 Paul says, "Only the Spirit of God knows His thoughts." We have the mind of Christ through relationship with Holy Spirit. That must continually be cultivated to truly hold righteous judgements.

Holding this understanding becomes particularly important when judging the fruit we see coming forth in someone’s life. We have gone through the “don’t judge me” generation (which has actually meant that people don’t want to be held accountable to Biblical standards). In Matthew 7:1, Jesus says, “Do not judge, lest you be judged.” Further down in the same chapter, Jesus says to beware of false prophets, and says, “you will know them by their fruit.” This requires holding judgement. We see in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3, that the Apostle Paul actually corrects the Corinthian church for NOT making judgements, saying, “Do you not know you will judge the world? Do you not know you will judge angels?” So which is it? Do we judge or not? John 7:24 brings greater clarity to this. Jesus said, “Do not judge by outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgements.” So the question is not whether we should make judgements or not, but HOW to make them. 

Isaiah 11:3 tells us how Jesus made judgements:

“And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear.” The fear of the Lord must govern our judgements. We are not the standard of righteousness— Jesus is. His Word reveals to us His standards, and Holy Spirit reveals to us the standard that needs to be upheld in a given situation.

Discernment isn't given for the purpose of condemnation, but first for introspection (am I seeing this in someone else because the Lord is highlighting this in me?) and prayer for the other person. We cannot judge others by personal convictions and above all we are to be governed by true Biblical love. Correction should be within context of relationship and truth is to be spoken in love. We so desperately need a revival of holding one another accountable to the righteous standards found in scripture. This must take place so that we, once again, rightly reflect the Holy God we bear the name of as Christians.

My prayer for the church in these days is to be governed by the fear of the Lord. When we are governed by reverence for the Lord and awareness that we will give an account for the judgements we make, we will be purposeful about seeking out His mind. We must learn to make righteous judgments in this hour. First in our personal lives and then in the discipleship of others.

Beholding

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth …. John 1: 14 NASB

‘He who has seen me has seen the Father’ are the words Jesus spoke to Philip in John chapter fourteen. We glean our knowledge of our Father from Jesus, as His word made flesh.

The gospel of John chapter one goes on to record,  ‘No man has ever seen God at any time; the only eunique Son, or fthe only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known]. The Amplified Bible (Jn 1:18). (1987). The Lockman Foundation.

Last week I noted scripture tells us we are transformed as we behold His image.  I’ve written before about the snare of wanting to see Jesus with our physical eye, not realizing that the first place he is seen and discovered is in the holy written word.

As Jesus said to Thomas in John 20:29, “… because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.  A few verses before, Jesus challenges Thomas to not be faithless but believing.  The book of John chapter twenty concludes with verse thirty one with John saying ‘these things 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.’

Because Jesus is the exact imprint of the Father, we are able to look at scripture and both learn and know him. This is the beholding of him. Jesus’ own testimony is ‘he that has seen me has seen the Father’.

We have a gift from God called imagination.  As we look intently at the perfect law of liberty we begin to see something forming.  Dependent on the scriptures we consider, they begin to paint images within our imagination.  We begin to see Him. The one who is with no beginning and no end, the one who was, and the one who is to come.  Each and every part of Him revealed to us by the Holy Spirit as we look intently through the lens of His word.

His word is spirit before it is released, sown, and seen.  That our Father was able to see light before he spoke it demonstrates our need to understand the creative workings of a sanctified imagination. Believing, is seeing spiritual realities that contain natural probabilities.

To not just behold him but to see him rightly, we must be prepared to submit to every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

This is the path to abundant life.

This is the beginning of beholding Him.

Behold the Lamb

Towards the end of 2023, I held this invitation and instruction from the Lord to “behold the Lamb” with an understanding that there was much more He desired to reveal regarding Jesus. 

We pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, but for what purpose? Paul wrote in Galatians chapter one, that it pleased the Father to reveal in him (Paul), His son (Jesus). Paul carried with this knowledge not only the will of God (His intent to reveal Jesus) but also the purpose of His will, that he might preach this revelation to the Gentiles. Jesus himself said to his disciples, no longer do I call you servants but friends because all that he learned from the Father he made known to them, John 15.  Now, today, we have access to these words and His precious Holy Spirit to bring us into wisdom and understanding of Him.  As we behold them, we behold Him. 

Looking at Matthew 11:29, Jesus invites his disciples to come to Him and learn of Him.  I noted His own declaration, I am meek and humble of heart.  This is his yoke.  This is His way.  This must be revealed to us that it might manifest through us.  We do ourselves a dis-service not to understand and adapt ourselves to His yoke of meekness and humility.  We must see and learn Christ. 

We’ve all heard you can’t preach what you don’t know and you surely can’t reveal the one you have not seen or learned.  As we have all faced our own peculiar circumstances and events in 2023, hopefully we have seen and learned Christ in and through them to a greater degree.  Having been sharpened and aligned in ways only hardships and suffering produce, we come forth as vessels refined and fitted for a new day.

We have come into a season where the greater glory of our Lord is being released upon the deep darkness covering the earth.  This administration is called a ministry of the Spirit which Corinthians reminds us is a greater glory and unto life for all peoples, Is. 60; 2 Cor. 3:8-18.

Again, Paul writes that we first must behold the image of the Lord with unveiled faces to be transformed from one degree of glory to another into the very image we behold.  It is in beholding that transformation occurs so we can then display His glory.  The knowledge of this glory, Habakkuk prophesied, would cover the earth as the water covers the sea.  Paul declares that as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, light is to shine from our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  2 Corinthians 4:5-6.  

It is as Jesus is revealed to us, and in us, the hope of glory becomes manifest to the world we live in.  In this season where God desires for every member of His body to arise and shine, may we be mindful of our part to live continually beholding the one to whom all glory is due. 

Our prayer for 2024

By David McGrew ~

I realised recently, perhaps like some of you, that I’ve been reading and studying the bible for nearly 50 years. I’m amazed when I pick it up and find something I’ve never considered before. I’m especially amazed, that after nearly fifty years, at what, and how much, I do not know.

Some of this is just down to the nature of learning. We first notice words and the ideas attached to them. Then we catch glimpses of phrases; like a subject and a verb and then bam! a whole prepositional phrase opens the universe up like never before. (I’ve apparently, often, felt like a mathematician because I mastered grade 1 arithmetic.) The main thing to remember is to not rest at having learned. It is to keep on learning.

If we keep learning, one day we will break through into a place where all the singular, pithy, thoughts we’ve grasped at become a whole, mutually supporting, system of truth. Perhaps then, tying the bible into God’s agreed upon universal thought instead of our own piecemeal understanding.

At different times in life I was sure I had Paul figured out. More than once I was confident I could explain the depth of my emotion better than my biblical name-sake. Thankfully, those seasons -somehow- didn’t last long. In all of those seasons of life, though, I didn’t ever feel I could adequately explain Christ or his teachings. Hmmmm.

Don’t get me wrong, I knew and do know him. I did teach his words, and the more I taught them the better I grasped his holiness. So, imagine my surprise this last month as I began to seriously restudy his truths, only to discover those little clauses and phrases I’d grasped so well were really just pieces of on-going, sometimes for chapters, long and big thoughts. They contained a wholeness I needed to see.

For in that wholeness, those thoughts bring a harmony and balance to the entire book. A bible thought that doesn’t lead to Christ, into and then through Christ, as it moves through the rest of the book wont have much of a shelf life. It’s a truth for sure, but a dangling truth can’t build the frame until it connects with another.

As we move into ‘24, especially mindful of when and where we are, let me encourage you to take this year to reexamine Christ and his teaching. Let him be the centre of your studies and of your faith, for in him all things…even things in that book….do come and hold together.

Christ will sustain you. Christ will enlarge you. Without him in the centre, from Genesis to Revelation, the powerful truths we hold and hope in would simply break down in our tryings and testings.

Discernment

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice….”

Hebrews 3:17

I think one of the hardest lessons a believer (new/old) must learn is how to hear and discern the voice of the Lord. This isn’t a matter of naturally getting better the older you get, rather a matter of spirituality.  The greater our union with the Father, son and Holy Spirit, the keener our perception and discernment.  There can be no righteous discernment without intimacy.

Hearing and obeying are key to discerning.  An unwillingness to hear and/or obey dulls our discernment.  Joshua 1:8 comes to mind as I write: this book of the law shall not depart out of our mouth, but we are to meditate daily to do all that is written in it. Success comes with the doing, having our ears awakened to hear as discipled ones.

Jesus, as the word, primarily leads us through His written word.  It is as we look intently, prayerfully, into these scriptures that the Holy Spirit, who has been sent from the Father to lead and guide us, breathes on His word making it come alive in our hearts.

So again, The number one way God speaks to us today is through His word.  Much like the disciples said on the road to Emmaus from Luke 24:32, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

The further my eyes, ears and heart are removed from Him, the duller my hearing and understanding becomes, carrying with it a greater potential for error. The amount of time required before the Father and His word, in prayerful submission, seeking to hear, depends on how impartial I am to what He says.   

Once spoken, it is a seed that goes forth for His creative purpose.  Now it becomes a matter of my willingness to receive, guard and nurture it to bring forth the fruit He has ordained within that seed. The question then becomes the issue of heart.  What kind of soil did it land on/in?

The still small voice reminds us of Elijah in the cave.  God is not usually in the big displays when it comes to personal conversations and directions.

The dangerous places in my world have been when I wanted a fuller picture of what I was perceiving.  I wanted, not just the first word, I wanted a sentence.  I wanted the end result, I wanted to know what, how, and when; which always gave room for human reasoning and ultimately requiring  a longer time to arrive at obedience.  The postscript to this would be that at some point “I”  had to stop asking all the questions, and simply step out on the one word He had given.  “Come” isn’t a full sentence but it is a definitive and directional word.  Peters response to Jesus didn’t include a conversation, it simply led to an act.

For my part, wrestling occurs only where I am partial to the process and outcome.

My thoughts here began as I read Acts chapter sixteen, verses six and seven.  Paul is being ‘forbidden’ by the Holy Spirit to go to a certain place.  Paul attempted to go where he wanted, where he thought best, but the ‘Spirit of Jesus did not allow them’.

In the book of Romans chapter eight, the Apostle Paul wrote “ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”  It will prove increasingly important to hear the will of God as we move into the future.  As we posture ourselves for entrance into our New Year, let’s do so with unbiased ears to hear what the Spirit is saying.

Community

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  1 Cor. 12:18 

Divide and conquer has been a tried and proven military strategy throughout history.   Jesus himself tells us a kingdom, a house, divided cannot stand.   I believe one of the dangers we are facing within the body of Christ is isolation.  Our greatest need outside of Jesus through these days will be the community we are set into. 1 Cor 12:18.  

We read from Isaiah that the last days will hold great increase of darkness while the church shines with an ever greater glory.  Two very opposing forces, both with immense power.  Men loving darkness will continue to call evil good, and good evil, at the same time that the church continues to advance His Kingdom and overcome with Light.

I believe the battle in the days ahead will be intense enough that isolated individuals will fall prey to the overwhelming pressure of the days. The church of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is a body of many parts fitly joined together.  Hebrews issues a warning to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as is the custom of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day drawing near..Hebrews 10: 25.  The danger of isolation, of course,  is the ability to be deceived.  Jeremiah prophesied “You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me," declares the LORD. They pile lie upon lie and utterly refuse to acknowledge me …”.Jeremiah 9:6.

We understand Satan’s greatest tool is deception.  Jesus warns even the very elect about the potential of being deceived.  I believe the isolation demanded within the covid crisis created a deception about online church attendance.   Where there is no communication, there can be no communion.  The church is the ekklesia, a called out ‘gathering.’  While we do not take exception to the many wonderful services offered via multi faceted social medium, we have moved too far away from Jesus’ intent of discipleship.  The up close and personal involvement in another life that brings loving accountability and empowerment.  Every member of the body of Christ is to be properly fitted.  A broken bone is painful and the resetting and healing of such is as well.  The discomfort caused by the lack of the freedom to move and use the part is also painful but absolutely necessary to the healing process.  Hebrews again tell us that which is out of joint is to be healed rather than left lame.  How many hurt christians are found isolated and alone feeding on a root of bitterness that has defiled them and others. 

I’m’ sure you like me, have heard recent prophetic words regarding God’s work to rebuild community within His church. The build of small groups is not a new concept but one that the church is once again focusing on with intent and purpose.  Why? Because within this construct we find true discipleship.  The loving care and protection of oversight.  

It is the community we fellowship in that will safeguard us in the days to come. How many scriptures warn us about false doctrine, deception and being led astray.  Community is our safeguard, keeping us from the deception that is able to develop in one’s isolation.  

Left alone, who is there to challenge your choices, your belief system, and encourage you to self-discipline unto growth in Him.   You’ve heard the adage “ there is safety in numbers”,’ iron sharpens iron’ - all true within the context of community.  (Of course this idea of true community is all about trust, isn’t it?)

The letter to the Hebrews encourages this community ~ we are not those who draw back and are destroyed… may it be so for each of us as we do our part to remain connected, growing and advancing His Kingdom. 

Believe

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved ~ Acts 16:31

Recently, as he is wont to do, David came home with a selection of used bibles.  One of which was an original edition of the first Amplified New Testament, a translation I’ve always valued and used.

As I was reading the introduction to this bible, written by Francis E. Siewert, she noted the difficulty in expressing many Greek words to an understandable English language.  The above verse is one such difficulty, and I quote ~

…twenty two New Testament verses out of twenty-four (note this was written in 1954) consulted render ‘believe’.  Yet they do so because there is no single better word in the English.  The Greek word is ‘pisteuo’ and means, “to adhere to, cleave to; to trust, to have faith in; to rely on” - which summed up in, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” means an absolute personal reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour.

What a better time and season than Christmas to examine what our trust is actually in.  Websters  dictionary today defines the word believe ~ ‘to consider to be true or honest’, which doesn’t necessary contain the same demand.

Let us consider now this Greek word salvation from HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4991 sōtēría (from 4982 /sṓzō, "to save, rescue") – salvation, i.e. God's rescue which delivers believers out of destruction and into His safety. See 4982 (sōzō).

Strongs Concordance shows sótéria: deliverance, salvation

Usage: welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety.

Psalm 107:20 tells us, He sent his word and healed and delivered them from their destruction, more in a moment on that thought. Today, there is much temptation to be our own saviour. The prophet Jeremiah warned the trust placed in anything other than the name of the Lord was guaranteed failure.  Peter and John stand before the council in the book of Acts and testify, “There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved”, chapter four, verse twelve.   

The infirmity of man is to trust in himself.  I’m not suggesting that there are not things we are responsible for in the place of care, protection and provision. Please don’t read that, but always our eyes must be looking to Him in every situation as the one who is our Saviour and this only comes through the ‘believing’ process.

Again, Peter and John from the book of Acts, chapter three, encounter the lame man and bring salvation to him.  Testifying before the crowds that it was not by their own power of holiness that produced the miracle, but rather the name of Jesus and faith in that name had given him a ‘perfect wholeness’ before them all.

We all desire to have ‘perfect wholeness’ in our lives, spirit, soul and body.  We all have many things, when examined, we could find a greater trust in than what is supposed to be given them.  Unfortunately we don’t always see it on the good and comfortable side of life.  It shows only when these things are removed, that the heart of man is exposed ~ again, the infirmity of man.

How much better we would be to examine issues daily in order to move ourselves to a place of pure and holy thankfulness for what He has given and provided. To be always mindful that He is the one that daily feeds us with the needed manna to be delivered from all destruction.

Taking the time to sit at his feet and listen to our word for the day guarantees us strength to walk in a place of life, liberty, joy and peace, found only in Him,

There is no other name, and we must believe on His name to be saved.

Battle with the Word

Behold they say to me; Where is the Word of the Lord?  Let it come!

Jeremiah 17:15

Jeremiah is being ridiculed over what appears to be a false word.  The Lord had him prophetically declare the destruction of the Jerusalem and the downfall of the Judah as a nation and it hasn’t happened…….yet.

We’ve all experienced the wait; that time frame between the word of the Lord being declared and actually bearing visible fruit in our world.  Jesus highlighted the context of the waiting with his parable of the seed.  There is always first the sowing of the seed.   

So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Is. 55: 11

The developmental or growth process is reflected in the exhortation of the farmer who patiently waits for the fruit, James 5:7.  His aim is to strengthen their hearts through the waiting process. James’ context is referring to the return of our Lord and he reminds us that patience is a virtue we are to nurture in our lives as believers, noting that patience is always a hopeful expectation birthed from a confident heart in the one who hastens over His word to perform it.

May I suggest two possibilities for consideration, both reflecting the goodness of God:

First, from  2 Peter 3:9. NLT The Lord is not slow concerning his promises as some count slow  ~The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

Paul wrote to the Romans, we are NOT to presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and his patience knowing it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance.

So while God is at work perfecting all things that concern us there is the place of our responsibility to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.  Meaning, we must overcome all doubt and unbelief to embrace the word He has spoken. Every word spoken from an evil heart of unbelief impacts the production of the seed.  The double minded man, unstable in all his ways, is unable to receive anything from the Lord.

Much of our warfare begins with bringing ourselves into a place of single mindedness over the word God has spoken.  Rooting out all unbelief and doubt built by our own mental reasonings.  Hosea 4:6 is a powerful reminder to us about the process of destruction.

Our second consideration is that of the Lord’s great care not to commit to us something we are not capable of bearing. John 16:12 is a good example.  Jesus’ disciples were at maximum capacity.  Sometimes, even on our best days, we can’t process any more information.  1 Cor 10:13 examines this - there is no temptation that comes to us that we are not able to bear - but God with the temptation makes the way of escape that we may bear it.   

Both considerations are rooted in his great love for us and we must never lose sight of this truth.  Every situation has, from God’s perspective, growth and development for us in it. Every word has been prepared for an hour, a day, a month, a year, a season, the fullness of time. We are committed to capacity.  Increasing requires growth and growth is never comfortable or easy.  And God is the very God of patience and graciously works with us as we grow.

Our processes through this season must be found anchored in Him.  Our foundations must be unshakeable, firm and immoveable when challenged by natural circumstances or personal mindsets and beliefs that contradict anything and everything God has decreed.

Let God be true and every man a liar, Romans 3:4    

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.  1Tm 1:18 NLT

• ESV - This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

• NASB ~ This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,

We battle best when we battle with the word of God, mindful that it is this sword that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus and it is this sword that cuts asunder soul and spirit.

What manner of People?

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,”

2 Peter 3:11

The Greek from this verse reads “holy conduct and godliness”. Below we examine the thought the Greek definition brings to these two words from Helps Word Studies ~ 

Holy ~ 40 hágios – properly, different (unlike), other ("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world."

The fundamental (core) meaning of 40(hágios) is "different" – thus a temple in the 1st century was hagios ("holy") because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios ("holy") has the "technical" meaning "different from the world" because "like the Lord."

[40 (hágios) implies something "set apart" and therefore "different (distinguished/distinct)" – i.e. "other," because special to the Lord.]

Conduct ~ anastrophḗ (from 303 /aná, "down to up" and 4762 /stréphō, "turn") – properly, up-turning; (figuratively) change of outward behavior from an "up-turn" of inner beliefs (presuppositions, etc.).

Godliness ~ 2150 eusébeia (from 2095 /eú "well" and 4576 /sébomai, "venerate, pay homage") – properly, someone's inner response to the things of God which shows itself in godly piety (reverence). 2150 /eusébeia ("godly heart-response") naturally expresses itself in reverence for God, i.e. what He calls sacred (worthy of veneration).

Holiness is something we intuitively try and define as cleanliness.  You can see from the above definition that cleanliness would be the result of someone who has a proper response to the things of God because they are ‘different’.  Peter writes to the believers about their conduct, their lifestyle, reflecting their belief system. 

The church is coming into a great knowledge and understanding of last days theology.  A greater emphasis is being placed upon the return of the Lord.  With many of the worlds crisis events occurring, believers are asking, “Is this the time the Lord will return?”

Let’s highlight 1 Thessalonians 5:22-23 and Matthew 24 for consideration.  Jesus said that ‘wars, rumours of wars, famines, earthquakes were simply the beginning of sorrows.’  We have definitely entered into a great time of sorrow for the multitudes who are experiencing loss in any capacity.  Yet, Thessalonians tells us the end will come suddenly, like a thief in the night, while the world says ‘peace and safety’.  

I think the greater danger the church is facing in North American is the time of peace and safety that lulls one into complacency and sleep.  We are admonished in Matthew 25 to be the wise virgins who are watching and prepared (sufficient oil to not only light our lamps but keep them burning). The bridegroom arrived in the darkness (at midnight) so oil for their lamps were necessary to light the path to Him. The foolish ones were caught unprepared and thus entrance denied. 

All that to say, assurance that the Lord is returning is seen in our verse today. Destruction and judgment will occur and Peter writes to the believers of his time reminding them of ‘what manner of man they ought to be’.  This, of course, must be relevant for us today.  

While waiting and looking, what manner of man ought we to be that could possibly hasten his return?  If he is slow concerning His promise, Peter writes it is because of the patience He is exercising towards US, not wishing for any to perish but all to reach repentance. 

If what I ‘ought to be’ isn’t reflecting the lifestyle that my words proclaim, repentance is required.  Preparation begins with a shift in mindset allowing change.  This begins with  alignment, agreeing with Him.  Following that we simply walk out the obedience that shows we are Christ-like in everything we say and do.  Or as Roman’s asks; do we presume upon ‘the kindness and forbearance of our God not knowing it is his goodness that leads us to repentance?’

Peter concluding this letter writes in verses fourteen and seventeen with an admonition that we are ‘to be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish and at peace.’  We are to know of these unfolding events beforehand and take care that we are “not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose our own stability. BUT continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

“To him be the glory both in and through his church, now and to the day of eternity.   

Amen.”

Battle in Meekness

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth 

Matthew 5:5   ESV

In my recent writings I’ve highlighted the armour we have been given enabling us to battle better. This week I would like to examine the importance of meekness in the midst of that battle. 

While you might think this a dichotomy, I would like you to consider how many of our battles are found within the construct of personal relationships.  2 Tm 2:24 reminds us meekness enables us to patiently endure evil.

When we say our battle is not with flesh and blood, we hold an understanding that the destructive workings within our relationships are something driven by demonic strategy through the yielded flesh of mankind.  We are not to battle with people, but follow Jesus’ example of committing ourselves to the one who judges righteously.  

Suited up in the armour of God will keep us thinking, speaking and acting in one accord with the Father. While we have all this defensive clothing we must still, in the midst of our battles, govern our hearts.  Meekness is a quality found within a purified heart. 

I do love this word meek.  It isn’t simply that we have power or authority but it is the righteous use of that power displayed ‘under’ authority.  It is defined in various translations as gentle, mild and meek.  Yet these words do little to help us understand the Fathers mind regarding this quality.

Vines Expository Dictionary tells us It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; it is closely linked with the word humility.  Vines goes on to state “ It must be clearly understood, therefore, that the meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power. The common assumption is that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord was ‘meek’ because he had the infinite resources of God at His command. Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to self–assertiveness and self–interest; it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.”

While Helps Word Study below, highlights the use of ‘strength’, it is strength within the  context of authority given in Christ Jesus making Philippians 4:13 ~  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me; a reality.

Now on to the word meek from  Helps Word Study in the Discovery Bible ~ 

praýs (also listed as 4239a/praupathia in NAS dictionary) – meek.  See 4236 (praótēs).

This difficult-to-translate root (pra-) conveys more than "meek."  Being meek in Scripture is not being weak.  Rather it refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. describing power used without undue harshness.

[The English term "meek" often lacks this blend of gentleness (reserve) and strength.]

4239/praüs ("gentle while strong") describes the blend of: insisting only on what is necessary (in God's eyes), and all that is necessary.  This divinely-produced balance reveals "active submission" by the believer who responds to people God's way.  

2. In sum, meek (4239/praýs, pra-) in the Bible describes God-defined moderation.  It           functions in "perfect submission to the divine will.  The Lord loves the combination of faithfulness and meekness that characterizes His people.  In contrast to prideful exultation, these folk always remain modest.

We have two biblical examples of individuals who are described as meek.  Preeminently, Jesus calls himself "meek and lowly in heart" in Mt 11:29 and tells his disciples to come and learn of Him.  In the book of Numbers Moses, is noted as the meekest of all men on the earth.  Two worthwhile examples to follow when dealing with people. 

Jesus’ statement here from the sermon on the mount was the message he gave to those desiring to follow Him.  These words are still His invite and promise to those who seek a narrow path and a higher way.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.  Whether it means now, or then, or both, I know I want to make sure this quality of Christ lives well in and through me.  Clothed with meekness is one more thing that assures us of victory in every battle we face.

Armour

‘…since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love...."

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NET 

I will remind you that the armour of Ephesians, chapter six included the breastplate of ‘righteousness’ and a ‘shield of faith’.  In our verse today we read from Paul to put on a breastplate of faith and love.  

Acts chapter 3 tells us about Peter and John going up to the temple at the hour of prayer.  They find the lame man at the gate begging for alms and while Peter and John have no silver or gold to give, they do have the name of Jesus and using that, the man is healed.  As this created quite a stir, Peter takes opportunity to preach and makes known to all that it was the name, and faith in the name, that gave this man ‘soundness’, ‘wholeness’, ’perfect health’  before all.  Acts 3:16.

I was struck again that there is only one thing that can give us the wholeness we desire in life and that is His name and our faith in that name.  So back to the armour’s breastplate.  It is a breastplate of faith/love and a breastplate of righteousness.

Do you realize how much righteousness is challenged in our lives? I’ve always liked the Amplified Bible’s treatment of the word righteousness, ‘being and doing right’.  We don’t normally question our legal state of ‘being the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus,’ 

2 Cor. 5:21,  but how much, or how often, do we battle accusations from the devil, others, and even ourself about our state of righteousness?  The doing that doesn’t quite measure up to the being. How challenged are we in faith and love?  Any area of doubt and unbelief could actually become chinks in our breastplate. 

It is the faith that we carry in the work of Jesus, the believing in all that He has provided that gives us the confidence to take up and cover ourselves with His armour.  Our adherence to what He has said reigns over all other thoughts. 

This breastplate of faith and love requires an absolute confidence in what God has decreed. A breastplate of faith and love guards our hearts. This piece of the armour holds us steady as the earth groans and we are assured that we have not been destined for the wrath God will pour out, rather gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is always, and only, His name and faith in His name that gives us this assurance.

Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on ….. 

Stand

Having done all to stand ~ Stand. 

‘Putting on the whole armor of God’, from Ephesian’s chapter six is well known to us. The Apostle Paul sums up his letter, beginning in verse ten with the word, ‘finally’.   Disciples, likened unto soldiers have instructions to ‘gear up’; but, before they are told to put on this amour, they are instructed to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. This is the ‘how to’  required for standing in a firm, immovable position. 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 
Ephesians 6:10-13

These are days, as we engage in battle, that we must recognize and understand our enemy and his strategies.  Interesting to note Paul’s one comment about us not being ignorant of the devil devices, 2 Cor. 2:11 enters around the division created in relationships around forgiveness.  Yet how ignorant are we in this.  The biting and devouring we do within our ranks is nothing more than a tactic, a wile, to destroy us from within,  We must know where to stand, who to stand with and what to do while standing there. 

Our position must first be found in Him.  The Greek interlinear of verse ten reads “henceforth be empowered in [the] Lord and in the strength of the might of Him.  The realization that we are nothing apart from Him.  Every blessing that comes to us is because we are found in union with Christ Jesus.  I’ve said before, we have a natural strength that may enable us in natural circumstances but the strength to successfully stand in the face of both spiritual and natural adversity, must be found in Him.  

Paul then delineates the armor.  It is first the armor of God, then it is the ‘whole’ armor.  It is as we are clothed with what He’s given, that we find His enabling power at work within us.  Paul said it was ‘the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe’ ~ Ephesians 1:18.  

As we examine each piece of His armor, we examine how individual enablements become a whole. Now in the having done all to stand, our part is strengthened by His.  

Our positions during times of battle must first be found clothed in Him.  

It’s interesting to note that David, as the shepherd boy who slew Goliath, did not go to battle with Saul’s armor which he had not personally tested. David’s success came from using what he knew.  Could this our case, endeavouring to use armour that we have not tested. 

The antithesis of these pieces of armor would be, deception, self righteousness, unwillingness to reconcile, unbelief and doubt.  All or any of these would make us unstable.  James wrote a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  

In these days of great uncertainty and unrest may we find Jesus, the stability of our times as our sure foundation.  And being found in Him, clothed with the amor of God, let us be confident of our stance.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Ephesians 6:10-13

Wars and rumours of wars

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars,….

Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.  You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that your are not alarmed.  These things must happen, but the end is still to come… 

            Matthew 24:4-6. Berean Study Bible Translation 

‘See to it’ .. is another way of saying you have to take responsibility for your own spiritual condition.  

Most of us have had our attention and prayers drawn to the war taking place these past weeks in Israel. We continue to witness the signs that would indicate a soon and very soon return of the Lord.  Acts tells us the Holy Spirit was poured out in the ‘last days’ and John wrote in his first epistle about the ‘last hour’.  How much closer are we getting to Jesus’ return and the end of this age if those were last days and last hours? 

With the political and economic climate shifting around the world we could very easily be approaching another World War.  I read an article this morning about Canadians being encouraged to leave Lebanon while they could. This reminded me of those between the world wars, urged to leave Europe but did not read the times properly and were ultimately caught up within WWII. 

Jesus said when the time comes, don’t go back in the house and try to save your stuff - it’s enough to save your lives, Mark 13:15. There are things the Lord is preparing His church to endure in the days ahead and he that has an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying will find themselves ‘saved’ through their obedience to Him.  

Yet it is by his great love and unwillingness for any to perish that He warns and prepares us, both internally by his still small voice highlighting His word and the revelation he gives through prophetic voices. Note John 15:15 and Rev. 10:7. Having said that, there must be enough spiritual discernment within each of us that we are individually capable of judging any prophecy we hear.

For now, we have chapter twenty four, the very words of Jesus , preparing us for these end times.  First, with two very real instructions.  

• See to it you are not deceived.  

• See to it you are not  afraid.  

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Living in daily communion with him through the word and Spirit we are assured of knowing, seeing, and hearing rightly.  He sends his word and it delivers.  He sends his word and it divides.  He sends his word and it illuminates.  Jesus said feed on me and live.  He has not given us a Spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound, well disciplined mind.  

I find great comfort in these thoughts.

Right Fruit

The fruit of the Spirit is …..

Galatians 5:22-23

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control…ESV 

This scripture is very familiar to most of us and today I want to consider the dynamics involved that impact this fruit being manifested through our lives.  Our scripture tells us this is the fruit the Holy Spirit produces.  It does not come through our human efforts or personal disciplines of self control.  It only manifests by the Spirit through a yield, born again vessel, one who recognizes their need and is dependent on Him to do His work.

Without the yieldedness of the vessel to the Holy Spirit, the potential side effects of life’s harshness can result in diminishing our profession as Christ-like-ones.  

Paul wrote to Timothy to 'endure hardness as a good solider’.  With that instruction, we as the current resource of God on this earth, must know how to endure hardships while we allow our lives to be transformed and conformed into the image of Christ in the midst of circumstances.  

I’m mindful of Jesus’ example in the book of Hebrews ‘ who for the joy set before Him endured the cross’.  The Son of Man was anointed with the ‘oil of joy’ above all others.  James’ also admonished us to “consider it pure joy when you encounter trials of many kinds”.  

Without exercising these graces, empowered by the Holy Spirit, hardships can be the snare that so easily besets us.  

Consider how ~ 

• Hardships can produce hardness of heart.  

• Hardships can change what we believe. 

• Hardships can produce an evil heart of unbelief that cause us to depart from the living God.

• Hardships can create a desire to escape.

• Hardships can enhance an excessive sense of self preservation. 

We would be remiss if we did not remember as well, the actual antitheses of the specific  fruits Paul enumerates here in Galatians five.  

We will never escape the hardships of this life.  They will be with us until Jesus returns or we move to heaven.  Jesus showed us the way.  Prepared us with the word.  Enabled us with His spirit and grace.  Life can make you bitter or better depending on how you respond to your circumstances.  

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the grace of God given to them in Christ Jesus enriched them in every way so they were not lacking in any gift as they waited for the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1:4

While we are assured the Holy Spirit is at work in us to help during these times, it is our responsibility to lean into all that He is saying and giving, to believe that He is actually the one we need our help from.  We know He leads us and guides us into all truth.  We need His power, His might to strengthen us in our humanity’s weakness.  Paul also wrote that Gods’ grace was sufficient for him.

Learning to lean into the grace so that it is not to us in vain and we are not found to be frustrating it; I believe, will become increasingly more needful as the world begins to watch the unfolding of events leading to the return of the Lord. 

We are to examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith, so we can correct the areas that are needful, not by our own personal disciplines but rather by the spiritual graces that draws us further into the only one who can help us in our time of need.  

We know we are growing up into Him in all things when our first response in and through hardness is the display of His fruit.  When I am weak, there is a grace that is sufficient for me to overcome my own personality and feelings to show forth the Jesus I want the world to see.  Not by my might but by His spirit; His Spirit in me, that I am yielded to. 

New

Behold I am doing a new thing ~ 

Isaiah 43:19 

Various renderings of our verse today indicate that God is “about” to do…, “will do” … ‘I am going to do’, all which indicate a future and a hope and yet the verse goes on to include the ‘now’ moment.  

I think sometimes all of us get hung up in our personal methodologies. We set our faith upon the way we think something should be done and we are invested spirit, soul and body in seeing it accomplished and loose sight of the works that God is actually doing.  

Of course we would all say we have taken the time to seek the counsel of the Lord and are building according to His plan, yet so often, we fall prey to the disappointments of failed experiences.  

It’s a dicey thing when our plans go awry.  We examine ourselves, we examine others, we question God and sometimes nothing is resolved.  We are left to our own understanding and walking in the same paths simply because we are unable reconcile our realities. But the reality is always going to be the need to find ourselves daily, continually, aligning with the new that God is working.  The dichotomy is our need for our faith to hold loosely to our methods and tightly to His ways. 

Our faith can be so specifically exercised to an exact end that when it looks any other way we have a hard time seeing and understanding the workings of God.  Isn’t that the way with much of life?   We are so fixated on what we think is right, so assured of what we have set our faith to, when God doesn’t move the way we expect, in the time we have allotted him, we struggle over the will of God and then we fail to recognize the goodness of God in the midst of our struggle.    

Romans reminds us of the condition of those who are unable to see the works of God and give Him thanks.  Perhaps we could truly be those who would wake daily with the expectation of a new day with new things to behold and experience and rejoice in His creative processes.  

We learn how, like wise master builders to bring forth out of our treasury that which is old and that which is new.  We cannot allow ourselves to be so ridged in our understanding that it actually creates limitations and boundaries for our lives.  The one who is the beginning and the end, the creator of all things, has a new thing each day He is endeavouring to work in each of us. 

Morning by morning he awakens my hear to ear and I am taught, was Isaiah’s declaration, 50:4  I love this verse from a couple of translations which all speak to our willingness to hear. 

• The Sovereign Lord has given me a well instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed ~ NIV

• The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary.  Morning my morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will ~ NLT

And finally the ESV which reads - 

• The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.  

Berean bible adds ‘ to listen as a disciple’.  On a side note we must pay head to the disciplined tongue which comes with the hearing ear.  Much of the time it is our unrestrained tongue that actually wearies our own soul.  

Behold I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth is a reality we all need to hold fast to in these days.  We have no sacred cows, we have no paths so firmly set that we are not prepared to move when He does.  After all, it is His presence and His glory we are seeking as we give ourselves to the establishment of His Kingdom. 

Remember

But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.  Lamentations 3:21

From our scripture today we find Jeremiah lamenting his circumstances and declares from Lamentations 3:18.  ‘my endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord’,

Jeremiah continues with his prayer; 

Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!  My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. Verse 19.  

I want you to note the thing that Jeremiah is faced with.  His endurance and hope are diminished because of what He is remembering. "My soul continually remembers it"   His focus on his affliction, wanderings, wormwood and gall is literally discouraging him.  It isn’t until Jeremiah, like King David who encouraged himself in the Lord, shifts his remembrance and calls to mind the mercies and faithfulness of God that his hope is restored. 

In an hour where the Lord is calling for much endurance from His people, we are sorely tempted to yield to the pressures and look for a way of escape.  Yet the very word endurance demands ‘a remaining under’.   Endurance is the ability to remain stedfast to the Lord in whatever situation we find ourselves. It is in calling to mind who He is and what He has done and what He is willing to do that breathes hope into our very being.  

Our exhortation to remember Him is foundational to the longevity of our life of faith.  It is through our rehearsing of things past, present and hoped for that we find the strength needed to carry on.  Our acts of worship are a stirring up of our pure minds to remember the exceeding greatness of our God.  As we celebrate Him, we displace us. Our fears and unbelief, our doubts and pain, and darkness flees because we have engaged with Light.

Rehearsing the past mercies and faithfulness of God holds us through everything.  We see, hear and read the testimonies revealing His very nature.  This brings joy to our hearts and hope rises. Who He has been to others, He will be to me.  The leper who meets Jesus knows Jesus’ ability.   He has seen and heard and it has drawn him to Jesus.  His question is, ‘Will you do this for me’? As he is met with assurance and provision, we learn the heart of God for all.  He is unwilling for any to perish.

This I call to mind and have hope!  What is it I am to remember?  The ‘hesed’ of the Lord. His unfailing, stedfast love for His people.  His covenant established.  His word kept.  His promise fulfilled. Jeremiah calls to mind who His God is, merciful and gracious, mercies never ending because of His great faithfulness. I can hear Jeremiah’s proclamation though his trial, “The Lord is my portion!”  

As we choose to be mindful of the Lord as our portion we are assured of hope.

Set….part 2

Set over Kingdoms and nations to root out, pull down, destroy, build and plant 

Jeremiah 1:10

Legal, and vital truth are different sides of a two edged sword. Legally, we have been given a position in Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places and with authority to use His name.  Vitally, effective use of the name hinges on the reality of our spiritual condition.  If, and it does, judgment begins in the house of God, and if, and we are, the temple of God, then it’s living as purified vessels that makes us fit for the masters use, thereby enabled to righteously exercise the dominion and authority given. 

This reminds me of the book of Acts, where the seven sons of Sceva try to cast out a devil in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.  The demonic forces, acknowledge the name of Jesus, recognize Paul, yet do not acknowledge these men’s right to drive them out.  

While we recognize the power in the name of Jesus and our right to use the name, it comes with the believers responsibility to be under the authority of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus went about doing good and destroying the works of the devil BECAUSE, there was nothing in Him that attached Him to the God of this world, John 14:30.

I want you to understand the importance first of all in the phrase ‘set over’. Our ability to recognize our set places in God is necessary.  These will be the field, the garden, we are given to tend and keep. 

The Apostle Paul wrote from 2 Corinthians 10:13- NLT…

• “We will not boast about things done outside our area of authority. We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us which includes our working with you. 14: We are not reaching beyond these boundaries when we claim authority over you, as if we had never visited you.  For we were the first to travel all the way to Corinth with the Good News of Christ.”

All spiritual activity eventually involves engagement with people and the exact relationships given and the roles assigned by God within them.

If I’m not set in the right physical place, I am unable to pursue the relationships given to me in that place.  I’m out of sync; but within the right place, with the right people, there is and should be increase occurring. 

• Nor do we boast and claim credit for the work someone else has done. Instead we hope that your faith will grown so that the boundaries of our work among you will be extended. 2 Corinthians 10:15

Much spiritual energy can be misdirected if first things are not first. We all want to be effective in our spiritual battles so understanding who, what and where we have been set becomes vital to our victory in them. 

Engaging in spiritual battle requires us to follow the example Jesus’ has set before us.  We learn from His testing in the wilderness when we ourselves are pressed to control our natural circumstances, i.e. ‘command these stones to be turned into bread’.  We are so aligned with the Father that we too are able to say ‘and I shall live only by the word of God’.  In other words, unless I am instructed to say and do something, I will not exercise my own desires.  I will not worship and exalt my own will and I will not test the Lord through my own presumptive desires.

All successful battles begin with our proper alignment to God and end with the will of God being accomplished.  We send forth His word which always accomplishes what He has sent it forth to do. Jeremiah’s instruction began with…. "Behold I have put my words in your mouth”, before he was to begin to root out, pull down, destroy, build and plant.  

Set

I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms…..

Jeremiah 1:10

This word to Jeremiah, found in the book of Jeremiah, chapter one, is God’s commission to him.

As a young man, Jeremiah finds himself called and appointed to speak firstly to the nation of Israel during a time of judgment that will be bringing them into captivity.

From The Lexham Bible Dictionary we learn,

Jeremiah’s focal point is the destruction of Jerusalem, in 587–86 bc, and the deportations of the ruling class of Judah, in 597 and 587–86 bc. His major concerns are the illicit worship of other gods by the people of Judah, social injustices, the collective guilt of the people of Judah (past and present), the futility of trusting in the sanctity of Jerusalem and the temple for protection, the sufferings of the prophet, and the future restoration of Israel….

As New Testament believers we find ourselves set by God in specific places, with specific people,  designed for specific purposes, just like Jeremiah.  There is a generation prepared for every season in God to be the voice of God and to do the works of our Father.  Each season highlights varying activities that are always unto the preparation of a people who will hear and obey.

Jeremiahs instructions were ~ “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to tear down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.”   Those who work naturally in a garden understand the effort involved in rooting out existing plants and the toil involved in clearing space for something new.  It is hard work.

Every place we are set, much like the children of Israel going into the promised land, is met with opposition.  Jesus told us, ‘the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force’, Matthew 11: 12.  Whatever place and people we find ourselves set in requires our alignment with our Father to build and plant.  We call it the extending of His Kingdom and pray ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’.

Jeremiah writes a letter to the surviving elders, priests, prophets, and all the people taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.   In chapter twenty nine, verse one, the Lord instructs in verses four through seven, to build houses, live in them, plant garden, eat the fruit, take wives, have children, give them in marriage and multiply there and DO NOT DECREASE.  They are to pray for the peace of the city for in its peace they will find their peace.   

Our position in Christ is to be continually increasing with the increase of God. WE are designed by God to multiply and increase.  His body grows as each part is working properly.  And just as he said through Jeremiah, we are not to decrease!

The children of Israel fought natural battles to take the promised land.  We fight ours spiritually. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and encouraged him to fight the good fight of faith, to endure hardness as a good solider.   Paul faced many oppositions and hindrances but he recognized these as spiritual forces at work and leaned into the grace of God, that  he came to realize, was sufficient to see him through.

Understanding that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but with rulers of darkness, prayer becomes our weapon we use to fight the forces arrayed against advancement of His Kingdom.

We strengthen ourselves through our union with Him as we position ourselves to hear and then to obey.  We receive His words and we decree what He has revealed, privately and publicly.  We become skilled in handling a two edged sword.

Paul had a people, a place and the purpose to preach a message that would bring the gentiles into the fullness of the blessing of Jesus Christ.   He had to root out, pull down and destroy  religious mindsets.  People holding traditions that blinded them from first receiving Jesus as their Messiah and then recognizing and accepting that God had made a way for the gentiles to partake of His salvation.  Paul laboured to present every man, Jew and gentile alike, “in Christ’.

No matter what place or people you have been set among by God, He has assigned purpose for you that requires hard work and much prayer as you follow generations who have gone before.  We all have a great cloud of witness who have gone before us.  Therefore let us run with endurance the race that has been given to us and be not weary in well doing.