“For the joy set before Him..” Hebrews 12:2

As we finish our Christmas Season and begin to cast our thoughts to a New Year, may I ask, What is the joy set before you?

What hope, what joyful expectation have you set your heart upon to embrace in this coming season?  What word have you heard that has moved past the first line of receptivity and made it’s way into your heart?  A word that is working to bear greater fruit through you than ever before.

Jesus, in the book of Hebrews, is set before us a man acquainted with the deepest of grief, bearing sorrows, but filled with joy.  This seems like a great paradox to me.  The extremes of opposing dynamics.  For the joy set before Him, he endured.  Without this joy, without a hope for our future, we are unable to endure the day.  

As we begin to know the love of God, we find that it not only holds a place of great highs, (joy unspeakable and full of glory) but it comes with the knowledge of the deepest grief and sorrow.  The cross and all events surrounding it was the culmination of Jesus’ earthly work.  For the joy set before him, he endured the cross.  To love fully, purely, deeply is to know both great joy and the deepest grief and sorrow. This love continues to move forward embracing not only circumstances but people. Joy set before you is not necessarily seeing something joyful at the moment, but believing, you see and you endure.  

Life in the next season will be about our ability to steadily move forward because joy is continually set before us.  We must be stronger in the Lord and the power of His might, filled with His love for all, to do this.  We must have our eyes focused upon Him and not upon people.  We must keep our expectation in Him and His word, releasing others from a burden that is not theirs to carry.  

My prayer is that our eyes would be stayed upon Him, growing stronger through our union with Him.  Empowered by His mighty strength, fully clothed with the armour of God and able to stand up against all the devils stratagems ~ with joy.

May you be strengthened to believe every good word spoken to you and for the joy set before you ~ endure.

David and I wish you an entrance into 2016 filled with joy unspeakable and full of Glory. Fully assured no word of God returns to Him empty, but goes forth to fully accomplish all He has decreed.  

“But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” John 5:36 KJV

There is a hidden truth in this scripture which could be easily overlooked and it is, whatever works have been assigned to us, our lifetime is enough time to accomplish them.  As the very workmanship of God, with gifts given, grace abounding daily and the fullness of the Holy Spirit, what could we possibly lack to get the job done?

Many of us might say money or maybe people to help, but I believe the greatest resource we lack is the wisdom and understanding that can only come from the presence of God.  With these, we have the insight and knowledge of times, seasons, relationships and purpose for each.  When we don’t understand the purpose of something we have a tendency to misuse it.  Without these we are not capable of acknowledging the resources God has committed to us. We become like the children of Israel looking at manna for the first time ~ ‘what is it?’

When the Father commits a word to us, it is the beginning of a work done in us and then through us. The word is sown and it creates a work required of us.  The word comes in seed form; the day of small beginnings.  The seed contains the fullness.  In other words, an apple seed holds the entire apple.  An acorn holds an entire oak tree. Everything needed to be a fully developed is in the seed.  It lacks no potential. Given the right conditions it brings forth the fullness of it’s creation.  

So too, every word that God gives us has not only the beginning but the ordained end. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  He sees the beginning and the end.  He doesn’t simply ordain a start but he ordains the finish as well.  His word goes forth and accomplishes what He sends it to do. The word assigns a beginning to the work and the finish or fulfillment of it.    

Jesus put his disciples in a boat with the instructions to go to the other side.  This simple command carried with it everything they needed to get to the other side.  When they were overcome by the storm, Jesus rebuked them by asking why they were so timid.  His question implies that they had the ability and the authority to deal with the circumstances they met. Whatever was needed to ‘get to the other side’ was held in the original command given by Jesus.

Luke 14:29-30 reminds us that unfinished work is ridiculed. When we stop working it is because we have stopped watering the word or we might need to get the rocks out of the soil of our heart.   Daily we must remember our enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, stop, discourage, hinder, make sick, rob resources of people, time and money, but if we SUBMIT to God and RESIST the devil, he will flee.  

Our driving goal in life must be to begin and finish the Words assigned works given us. Paul from Acts 20:24 said his only aim was to finish the race and complete the task the Lord has given him, which was to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.  Jesus said in John 4:34 my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.  Jesus last words from John 19:30 were ‘It is finished’.  

Paul said in 2 Timothy verses 7,8; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

The issue these days is to keep moving forward towards that finish line.  To not be weary with well doing, but to press into Him, strong in the grace He gives and strengthen with might for His purposes.  For the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do
 

"Until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.” Psalm 105:19 ESV

Who are we in the press?
Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” or from the Greek, thlipsis, “to suffer
affliction, to be troubled, due to the pressure of circumstances or the antagonism of persons.
What do we do when tough times hit? Can we pass the test?
This scripture and the portions around it, speak about Joseph and his time in prison,
after being sold into slavery and then being falsely accused of sexual assault.
Joseph was prepared and gifted by God to be a deliverer for Israel. The circumstances
surrounding Joseph's life were ones God used to refine and shape his character.
Joseph finds himself in prison and the bible says, ‘until the word of God came to pass’
Joseph was being tested. Every action and every word reveals what is in the heart of
man. The bible tells us God knows how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, (2 Peter2:9)
He’s not unrighteous, but faithful with every temptation to make a way of escape so we
are able to bear it (1 Cor. 10:13)
We’ve learned from the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness that every temptation must be met with the word of the Lord.
“It is written” is the only sure deliverance we will have.
How does the word try us? By seeing if we really believe it.
How do I know I believe? By what comes out when I’m pressed. (Proverbs. 4:20-22)
For out of the mouth proceed the issues of life, Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaks, (Luke 6:45)

Do we murmur and complain? Are we confused and discouraged?
Are we angry and curse God?
OR
Do we count it all joy?

Do we in our midnight hour lift our hands and sing praise?
Do we build ourselves on our most holy faith, praying in other tongues?
Do we strengthen ourselves by drawing near to God?
This posture is the one that God is testing to see if we are holding fast to the word He has declared to us. Ever mindful that Satan comes immediately to steal the word and separate us from the Father, we must diligently attend to His word. Not allowing it to depart from our eyes, but meditating upon it day and night, for it is our life, it is our hope, it is our strength. These are days of great pressing. We are sorely pressed on many fronts in these last days. Life will not get easier in these last days but it can get brighter and brighter as we remain vitally united to Him through His word and Spirit.

“Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand...... Get up, let us be going..!” Matthew 26:45-46 (Amplified)

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven. There was a set time for Jesus to meet His death. There was a set time for the disciples to be tempted. What I see from todays Scripture is failure on the disciples part to prepare for the time at hand.

You will recognize this scripture from the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ temptation in the garden. We know from these scriptures Jesus enters into this battle in an agony,

Luke 22. He is sorrowful and troubled. Scripture tells us His soul is sorrowful unto death and he asks Peter, James and John to watch or literally is the Greek, to keep awake with him.

You will remember through this event, Jesus comes to the disciples on three different occasions and wakes them up. The first time, from Luke's gospel, we find Peter, James and John, ‘sleeping for sorrow’. Jesus wakes them and says to them, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Jesus leaves them and goes back and uses the time he has to prepare his hour. Coming to them a second time he find them asleep again.

On this second occurrence, Jesus wakes them when he finds them asleep from Mark 14:40 it says ‘they did not know what to answer him’. Jesus leaves again returning to his prayers and finally when he has been strengthened to meet his death, he comes to the disciples the third time and asks again, “Are you still sleeping?

Jesus was prepared but his disciples were not. The thing that I find so interesting here is that Jesus gave them time, opportunity, encouragement, instruction and did not do anything to stop the hour of their testing from coming to them. He made sure they had every opportunity to overcome. He did all He could but ultimately allowed them to make their own choices.

This tells me, that Jesus works to prepare me to meet every situation we face in the fullness of His power and might. All heavens resources are there for me to tap into. There is no temptation common to man that God, who is faithful, does not make a way of escape so we are able to bear it.

The question is simply this; do I take the opportunities given me to prepare for my hour? 

“...but we preach Christ crucified...” 1 Corinthians 1:23

Paul proclaims this cross is a stumbling block to Jews and folly to gentiles, BUT to those
who are called it is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
This cross is set before us so no man might boast in the presence of God. God made
Christ the source of our life. He has been made our wisdom, our righteousness, our
sanctification, and our redemption. Therefore, it is written, Let the one who boasts,
boast in the Lord.
My studies from Isaiah 53, Philippians 2, show me a picture of this man, Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God, made himself nothing. Taking on the form of a
servant, he humbled himself by becoming obedient unto the death on the cross.
The commentary from Keli and Deitsch, point out that this tender shoot who grew up
like a root out of a dry ground, was despised and rejected by men. “The chief men of his
nation who towered above the multitude, the great men of this world withdrew their
hands from him. Drew back from him. He had none of the men of any distinction at his
side”.
We thrive on significance in this world. We seek the honour and approval that comes
from men. Bigger is better, and more is always an indicator of success isn’t it? We
know from the gospel that Jesus did not look for glory from man and cautioned his
disciples to not seek it.
His cross is the divine exchange for all mankind and one we must identify with in order
to serve Him properly. We preach not ourselves BUT Christ crucified and ourselves
your servants for his sake. The cross reminds us of who Jesus was and what He was
willing to give for mankind and He asks nothing less from us; a willingness to serve the
Father and by love serve others by the laying down of our lives for them.
Revelation 12:11 reminds us that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of
our testimony because we love not our lives even unto death. In other words, the cross
is our identification with all things in this world that must be suffered to do the will of
God.
Jesus is our example of humility and obedience unto the death of our flesh.
For the joy set before Him, he endured.
There is a message that leads to life and the abundance of all things that Jesus has
provided for us. It is Christ crucified, the power of God and the wisdom of God.
What do I need in my life ~ the power of the cross.
What wisdom do I need? It’s in the message of the cross.
What is the message of the cross but humility and obedience that serves mankind.
Let us preach Christ crucified and help the body of Christ understand the power that is
in the crucified life.

“When we get together I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” Romans 1:12 NLT

ESV says, ‘mutually encouraged’, in other words, a two way street. Do you ever spend
time with people who do all the talking and never stop to consider you have a life and
challenges you are facing? Life isn’t supposed to be consumed upon ourselves but by
mutual edification we are to build each other up. Oxfords online dictionary says
encourage means to give support, confidence, or hope to (someone). Paul writes from
Romans 15:32 that in coming to them with a heart full of joy ...’we will be an
encouragement to one another.’
The bible word is sumparakaleo (συμπαρακαλέω, 4837), sun, “with,” and No. 1,1.
parakaleo (παρακαλέω, 3870 “to be comforted) and signifies “to comfort together,”
Did you notice how this word is the same word used for the Holy Spirit as our comforter;
parakaleo?
Courage to me always speaks about strength: a heart that is strengthened by the
promises of God to remain stedfast in His way to achieve His purposes. We are
exhorted to be strong in the Lord. We are commanded to pray and not to lose heart.
We are instructed to continually feed upon the word of God for it is our life source.
Today we see when we come together it should be for the purpose of encouraging and
edifying one another. Our person relationships should be a strength to us. They are a
resource God uses to flow through. According to Ephesians it is not simply our
connection to the head, but where the parts connect we find our strength.
Paul understood the necessity of the body. He valued his connections, recognizing his
need for their support and prayers to continue with the work, he sought to always come
to them in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ for their well being.
Mutually encouraged.
Ephesians reminds us that our words are to minister grace to the hearer. In a world
filled with negativity let us remember to partner with the Holy Spirit and be agents of
hope by the encouragement we bring one another.