A Great Salvation

How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

Hebrews 2:3

The book of Hebrews offers two great thoughts: one, this great salvation we have been given and all it brings to us, and two: the dangers of neglecting it. Chapter One begins with this great salvation itself and Chapter two tells us this great salvation could slip away unless we give the more earnest heed to what we have heard.

Apostasy is defined as abandonment of ones religious belief and neglect is defined as the failure to care for something properly. It is possible for the things we once believed to be so challenged by our circumstances that we alter our beliefs. The ongoing, consistent pressures of life push against us challenging the hope, trust and faith we have in HIM. The longer you live, the more opportunity you have had to see something not work, prayers not be answered and conditions remain unchanged. The temptation to deny God and His word is constantly before us as Satan works to sow seeds of doubt. Wasn’t it Job’s wife who encouraged him to curse God and die? These are human conditions when we are faced with circumstances we don’t understand.

The book of Hebrews warns us that the potential for apostasy is great. The Lord uses the picture of the children of Israel in the Old Testament as an example of this evil heart of unbelief, causing one or all to depart from the living God.

Jack Hayford's Spirit Filled Bible Study Notes record, “It is commonly understood that the book [Hebrews] was written primarily to the Jewish Christians…. There were two well-known times of persecution for Christians during the first century AD that may have impacted Hebrews' original audience, at least indirectly. In AD 49, the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from the city of Rome. And around AD 64, Emperor Nero persecuted Christians in the vicinity of Rome. As we read through the book of Hebrews, it becomes evident that the original audience had already faced persecution in the past, some of them were suffering in the present, and the author's expectation was that more of them would suffer, perhaps even more severely, in the future.”

The need to keep heart, mind and body firmly fixed and sanctified today is as great a challenge as it was when Hebrews was written. In comparison to much of the world, our North American culture lives in and remains at ease. My concern is for the casual believer as our world grows darker. Casual church attendance and the occasional podcast will never replace the need, the vital need, the one thing that is needful, to sit at the feet of the Father and feed upon His word. “He who holds nearest communion with Heaven can best discharge the duties of everyday life”. D. L. Moody

Failing to care for the spirit begins by simply removing ourselves from the place of prayer and feeding on the word of God. Jesus said my words are spirit and they are life and we are instructed to feed on them daily to nourish our inner man. Paul prayed that we would be strengthened with might in our inner man so we would walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him with fruitful lives.

The psalmist wrote, “How can a young man cleanse His way? By taking heed according to your word.” He goes on to say, “Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you”. The busyness of life is a snare to spiritual health. This great salvation can slip away if neglected.

Hebrews is filled with admonitions and reminders of what we have been given; a new covenant, and how we are to live now: stedfast, faithful, patient and obedient. We are exhorted to remember the new covenant with new promises, to remember our High Priest and His sacrifice, keeping our eyes on Jesus so we can finish our race.

How can we escape if we neglect this great salvation?

Living in His Light

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.  Psalm 89:15 

I’ve read several different articles, while housebound with the abundance of snow here in Victoria, which have all spoken to living with the abiding presence of the Lord.  They asked the question, Can we actually live 24/7 in this state?  The obvious answer is, of course.  The real question though, is, do we, not can we?  

The way has always been open and the invitation has always been there. This Psalm assures us that we can live that life, blessed, joyful and living in His light.  Jesus said, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. NLT says,  “I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”   

I’ve taken the liberty to copy a paragraph from MacLaren Exposition of Holy Scriptures (Alexander MacLaren 1826-1910).  The following is a part of his comments on Psalm 89:15. 

“And although we are bound to be diligent in business, and some of us have had to take a heavy lift of a great deal of hard work, and much of it apparently standing in no sort of relation to our religious life, yet for all that it is possible to bend all to this one direction, and to make everything a means of bringing us nearer to God and fuller of the conscious enjoyment of His presence. And if we have not learned to do that with our daily work, then our daily work is a curse to us. If we have allowed it to become so absorbing or distracting as that it dims and darkens our sense of the divine Presence, then it is time for us to see what is wrong in the method or in the amount of work which is thus darkening our consciences. I know it is hard, I know that an absolute attainment of such an ideal is perhaps beyond us, but I know that we can approach-I was going to say infinitely, but a better word is indefinitely-nearer it than any of us have ever yet done. As the psalm goes on to say in the next clause, it is possible for us to ‘rejoice in His Name all the day.’ Ay, even at your tasks, and at your counters, and in your kitchens, and in my study, it is possible for us; and if our hearts are what and where they ought to be, the possibility will be realized. Earthly duty has no necessary effect of veiling the consciousness of God.”

Oswald Chambers, MUHH, (February 12 and 13) wrote about our human propensity of not wanting to hear from God directly because then we must become responsible for what he says. The distractions of life and the desire for other things are the warning Mark’s gospel gives us about robbing the word which is the very thing that gives us life.  We want to know what God says, but we want others to take the time to hear from God and tell us. This way, we can dismiss the person rather than God. 

Could this be why the church sees so many looking for personal words of prophecy? Always hearing and yet never growing up.  Someone living in vital communion with the Father does not often need another to tell Him the way, the truth or give Him life.   Mind you, we all have times where fellowship is at the low ebb and are always grateful for those who come along and are able to help.  I would never diminish the gifts of the Spirit because I both give and receive them and know their benefit.  But when the perfect is come, these things are gone.  Why; because we see Him as He is and we do not need another to communicate the heart and mind of God for us.   This of course does not have anything to do with being taught, but rather our own personal developing fellowship with the Father, to know Him. 

I know there are limitations to what we are able to hear and know now, but we can always press in to a place we haven’t been to know things we have not known and see things we have not seen.  There is so much more the Father has prepared for us.  

The invite is there and the way is open.  Shall we go in? 

Be A Brighter Light ~

“Let your light so shine…” . Matthew 5:16

I’ve been studying the book of Daniel and one of my sources indicated a theme of this book is how to live in the midst of a sinful nation and still hold to God and influence others.  Last month I wrote from Matthew 5:14-16 about Being the light, and today I’m asking how we could be a brighter bulb. 

The Gospel of John begins introducing Jesus as the word and tells us that in Him was life and the life was the light of men.  This light shined in the darkness and the darkness did not overpower the light.

If Jesus showed up and in His life there was this incredible light, which of course emanated from His Father who is light, and the darkness could not overpower it then it follows we must emanate the same kind of light and life. 

From Matthew, Jesus says you don’t put this light under a bushel to hide it but set it out where it can give light to everyone in the house.  How is it that the darkness we live in on the job, in our families, with our friends, seems to diminish our willingness to shine?  There is a boldness (harmless as doves and wise as serpents) that must be being seen in us these days.  As darkness abounds, we are to shine brighter, not adapt to the darkness from a place of fearful intimidation

Jesus said men will love their darkness rather than the light but that didn’t stop him from shinning.  They rejected his methods.  They rejected his words.  They ultimately rejected him, but he never stopped shinning.  Isaiah prophesied, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon you and his glory shall be seen upon you and the gentiles shall come to the light and kings to the brightness of your rising.  Isaiah said, Arise and Shine!  

We are salt. We are light. These are two powerful statements about us as believers. This is what we are.  This is what we do.  We salt.  We enlighten.  If we don’t, darkness keeps creeping in to take over everyone and everything in our world.  

From John 8:12 we find Jesus declaring himself to be the light of the world.  In chapter twelve, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure. He says, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in darkness cannot see where they’re going. Put your trust in the light while there still time, then you will become the children of light.”

John 1:6 tells us that God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so everyone might believe because of his testimony. Just like John the Baptist we are sent into our own particular environments to bear testimony about the light, Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit has made us witnesses. Acts doesn’t say He gave us power to do witnessing but He so radically changed our lives that we have been made witnesses.  1 John records the apostle declaring, that which we have seen and heard we declare to you. John went on to say we proclaim this so that you may have fellowship with us. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.  

Our motivation must always be to share with others what we have seen and heard so they could know the joy that comes from fellowship with Him. It is said of Jesus in Matthew 4:16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.   God is light.  Jesus is light. Now we are children of the Light.  May we be His great light that shines ever brighter to those who sit in darkness.

Living Loved.

I am persuaded…..nothing can separate me from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:29 

How can we love well if we are not first persuaded that we are loved well?  

Our New Testament command is to love even as Jesus has loved us.  How can we love others if our concept of “even as” we are loved is skewed.  If every negative circumstance of life serves to tell us we are unloved then we build from a very flawed and broken foundation.  If we do not see the value we have to the Father how can we ever appreciate others?  It would be  superficial.  We want to live loved, and we want to live, loving well. 

We have been wired for love from conception.  Love is the thing the Heavenly Father wants us to know.  To live from a place of love is absolute freedom.  Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  It starts with believing and receiving Jesus, the manifest love our Father has given to us.   

We want to live knowing, every moment of every day, exactly how valuable we are to the Father.  We don’t want theory, we want a viable, living, experience with Him.  We can never achieve this in our own strength and we don’t need to, but we do need to have an absolute dependency on the one who pours this love into us. I can’t know this love apart from the Holy Spirit, His truth, teaching, and comfort. Paul prays, as we are rooted and grounded in this love we are able to know the Fathers love and be filled with the fullness of God, Ephesians 3:19

As we move forward in the last days, we must understand that the love of many will grow cold.  This is in the church.  The love many will hold for the world will surpass the love they have for God and His ways and that cannot but ultimately play out in the love they have for one another.  How does a brother turn against a brother, but by holding a greater love for self.  

Lovers of self and pleasures rather than lovers of God are present and in our midst in these last days.  Paul wrote to Timothy, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed….” 2 Timothy 4:10. Jude wrote we were to remember the words spoken by the apostles how mockers in the last time would walk after their own ungodly lusts, separating themselves not having the Spirit.  His admonition to the church is build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keeping yourselves in the love of God.

We must live loved to love well.  Life must be lived empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit and feeding upon the word to know and understand the love God has not only us, but all.  He’s called us to live as He is.  He’s called us to be holy as He is holy.  He’s called us to love as He is love.  

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34

The Word and the Spirit

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you--they are full of the Spirit and life.  John 6:63 NIV

The vital necessity for the Word and the Holy Spirit have been foundational for me now for the 43 years of my Christian growth.  I remember hearing, uncountable times, that without the Spirit you dry up and without the Word you blow up. 

These two Persons of the Godhead work hand in hand, continually revealing everything we need to grow and conform into the image of our Father.  We can only know our Heavenly Father from what the word reveals and the Holy Spirit illuminates. This shapes the foundation for my expectation and reception of all God’s workings in and through me.  Romans 10 asks the question, “How shall we believe in him of whom we have not heard?”  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. This is the cooperative working of the Godhead.  We find our knowledge of our Heavenly Father through Jesus, as the Word, and the revealing work of the Holy Spirit.  We attend to the word and the Holy Spirit speaks to us from this Word.  

Jesus was the very first comforter the disciples had.  They learned the Father and they learned the Son.  They learned the very heart of God as they walked with Jesus.  Jesus sent us “another” comforter for each of us today who are a part of His body.  We understand this word ‘comforter’ to mean Helper.  

Everything and anything we need in the this life, as a believer, we are to first turn to the Help of the Holy Spirit. Whatever lack we may face, the Holy Spirit is a very present Help in time of need. He helps us in our infirmities or weaknesses. If you are like me, I don’t appreciate weakness in my life.  I want to be strong and sufficient, yet it is in the weakness that we find the grace and sufficiency of God to help us in our time of need.  We hope in God who is our very present Help in time of need.  No matter what the circumstance, He has made a way of escape that we may bear it.  God is faithful.  Hope NEVER disappoints when our eyes are on the Father.  Our Help comes from the Lord. 

Let’s talk about what His help looks like. 

• First of all, since He is the Spirit of truth who leads and guides us into all truth, He works with the word to divide asunder soul and spirit. He works within our hearts and minds to reveal the truth of our circumstances.  He goes straight to the reality of our issue and deals with the heart and reveals truth in our inner man; John 15:26; John 16:13.  Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  My greatest need in most circumstances is for wisdom.  “Holy Spirit show me how to walk through this.”  He makes the way of escape so we are able to bear it by showing me how and what to do.   

• Second, He will bring to our remembrance all things Jesus has said ~ John 14:26.  This Word that the Holy Spirit reveals comes as we feed upon the Word of God.  As we search the scriptures and meditate of them, it is the Holy Spirit who breathes on this Word and makes it a reality to our hearts.  

• Third, Our sole responsibility is to believe this Word.  To believe we are hearing what the Spirit is saying to us through this Word. Jesus said my words are spirit and they are life. 

• Finally, once we hear, see and believe, we must obey to have the fruit He wants to work in us.   This is how we are to be fundamentally led by the Spirit and what His Help looks like.  

His work in our lives is primary and the Word is our vital necessity.  It’s not the dead letter of the law but it is the life giving, Spirit breathed, revelation we receive as we attend to the Word through prayer.  

We have not because we ask not.  Ask that you might receive that your joy may be full.  The Holy Spirit waits to be invited into our lives.  He waits to reveal and glorify Jesus.  As we hunger and thirst, He fills our lives, and is the very present Helper for us. 

Be the Light

Be the Light!

You are the Light of the world….. Matthew 5:14

The Sermon on the Mount probably gives us the greatest insight to the message of the Kingdom Jesus preached.  It is a revelation of the fulfillment of the Law and the expression of the heart and mind of the Father. 

Probably the best place to start adapting ourselves to the nature of the Father is to be very familiar with Jesus’ words and deeds.  

The bible tells us that Jesus was the expression image of God.  Jesus himself said He who has seen me has seen the Father.  He affirmed that it was the Father who did the works, he was simply the vessel showing who the Father was and what His heart is.  

Of course, now, we are that very hope of Glory to seen in this earth. I’m reminded of Andrew Murrays words from his book, Like Christ,

 “ Let us gaze and gaze again, let us worship and adore; the more we see Him as He is, the liker Him we must become.” 

Jesus tells his disciples we are the salt of the earth.  We are the light of the world.  If we are not salty we are not good for anything and our light is not to be hid.  There should be something about our lives that draws men and at the same time repels those who love darkness. 

From Mark 13:9, Jesus exhorts disciples to take heed to themselves as they live in the last days.  Our lives are to be a testimony in the midst of evil and persecution. God has required a standard on this earth that is able to be set so He can be righteous in His judgment towards all.  This standard is to be held and kept by us.  We must be light.  We must be salt.  Anything that diminishes the quality of those must be eliminated from our lives.  

The danger of religion is the hypocrisy and deception it breeds.  This form of godliness without the power should be a clue that something is missing.  Holding traditions and making the power of no effect does not promote the Kingdom of God.  Jesus said our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and Saduccees.  

Jesus said, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God. How do we shine?  We shine by displaying good works. The world must see we are his disciples. Our good works must be steeped from a heart of love.  We are kind, we do good, we love the unlovely, we bless all, and we pray for those who persecute us.  There is something pervasive about the life of God flowing through us that man cannot deny.  Every act is a seed sown and that is simply our job.  Just be salt, be light, be good, be kind, love everyone, bless all, and pray for them.  It is the standard of God.

Its a New Year

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James 1:26 KJV

• NIV: Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

• NLT: If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

I’m sure that you, like me, are turning your thoughts toward the New Year.  The New Year is an ideal time to make changes and renew purpose and vision for a better self. The trouble is though, that personal change doesn't just come from a calendar. How many times have we heard someone say, “If you don’t like what you have, you have to do something different from what you are doing”.  Or how about, “You are eating the fruit of your words”…. “You have what you say”. Truths; but frustrating truths when you believe you are already doing all you can to see change in your life.  

We all know there are biblical principals that establish the above and we cannot escape the truth of Jesus’ words from the gospel of Matthew; “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”   Our scripture today affirms that wrong speaking deceives our heart!  Jesus said take heed how you hear and what you hear. 

If we want a reality check, all we need to do is listen to what is coming out of our mouths in some kind of consistent fashion.  It’s the things we say “all the time” that are the indicators.  What we know verses what we really believe.  It’s the yeah but, that reveals the heart of a matter for us ~ so, if need be, let’s do an update to a new version for 2019. 

My son attend to my words, Let them not depart from the eyes, but keep them in the midst of your heart; NLT says let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they are life unto those who find them and health and healing to all their flesh.

Proverbs 4:20-22

No matter what the situation in life, if we want to see new and improved, it begins with the sure foundation of what God has said.  Jesus said my words are spirit and they are life.  We are to come to Him, the living word, and feed on Him to have abundant life.  Our Father on the mount of transfiguration had to shut Peter up, saying this is my beloved son, LISTEN to him.  James’ epistle tells us if we are doers of the word and not hearers only that we won’t deceive ourselves. 

Maybe there are things we need to stop listening to and instead replace with what Jesus  says.  Jesus has words of life that when they are exalted, fed upon, planted in good soil, work to bring forth good fruit in our lives.  The word works in a believing heart, so we guard our hearts!

My prayer for each of us this coming year would be to see the goodness of God in the land of the living because we believe.  Let God be true and every man a liar!

Happy New and Improved 2019 

Quitters never Win

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee.

James 4:7 

We know every day we are tempted in some fashion, spirit, soul, or body.  Our eyes see, our ears hear, our head reasons, our hearts get discouraged and these temptations must all be challenged and resisted.  The other day, I woke up hearing the Holy Spirit telling me to fight. I had been dealing with some lingering symptoms off and on since September, and with all the flying we do, the symptoms were constantly flaring up.  I was dealing naturally with them, but not enough spiritually.  The Lord was calling for me to offer more spiritual resistance.   

Satan watches for the vulnerable moments in our lives, the times of weakness, whether they are in our unfed spirit man, a tired body, or an undisciplined mind. He is always watching to devour.   This is why the Apostle Peter wrote in chapter five of his first epistle, “Be sober, be watchful because we have an adversary”.  He must be resisted and not just resisted, but steadfastly resisted in faith.   In a case like this, you get a word from the Lord, you adjust, and somewhere in the back of your mind you think ok that’s done, all good, now things will change.  BUT then you get up and the next day  the STEDFAST word comes into play.  I’ve never seen a battle won in one day.  There is the day the battle is over, but until that day there is a continual fight. 

Paul said, because of the prize he was looking to receive, he was purposeful in the fight, not as one that beats the air.  He told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith so he could lay hold of eternal life and in 2 Timothy Paul declares towards the end of his life, “I have fought the fight.”  

The writer of Hebrews encouraged the people to remember how they endured a great fight of afflictions.  Hebrews 11 shows us that those who have gone before us were valiant in the fight.  

Ephesians reminds us our battle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Ephesians chapter six is probably the clearest instruction on how to fight.  We fight from a place of strength in the Lord.  We gird ourselves and we take active actions to withstand with all areas covered and the word coming out of our mouth.

Jesus said my Kingdom is not of this world and his kingdom suffers violence.  In other words, the things we want operating and working in our life must be fought for. 

When we are fully dressed and ready for action, we are able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  When we have dropped our guard, we have usually laid down some equipment and are vulnerable.  

Satan seeks everyday in some way to devour.  He is diligent. We have to remind ourselves we are not trying to get God to do something for us.  Jesus has done it all. We are either reclaiming what the enemy has stolen or we are guarding our stuff.    

I don’t know what circumstances you may be facing in your life these days, but I want to encourage us all to continue to fight and to do it steadfastly, to not be weary in well doing but to prepare ourselves daily, spirit, soul and body for whatever comes our way.

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee.

Fullness

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  

John 1:16

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (fJohn bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace”. John 1:14-16

I can’t escape this concept of “fulness”: that God would choose to dwell in man, to manifest Himself, and to do it fully!   This word ~ fullness from Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words ~  has two meanings, (a)  “that which fills up” (b) “that which has been completed, the fullness”. 

That’s a huge word with a multitude of expressions, and I do a dis-service to simplify, but suffice it to say that we are all ordained to carry His fulness, here and now.  How would life look if we were really doing that?  I’m always keenly aware of how much more growth there is in Him.  

Here are just a few scriptures that express this concept of fullness:

• Eph 1: 23 And he (the Father God) put all things under his (Jesus) feet and gave him (Jesus) as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 

• Ephesians 3:19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

• Ephesians 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

• Col 1:19  For in him  (Jesus ) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell

• Col. 2: 9-10 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

• Psalm 16:11 In His presence is fulness of joy at his right hand are pleasures forever more.

• Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost 

• Acts 2:4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke…

• Romans 15:13 May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We know this; the just shall by His faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please Him. He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  He is good to all.  I could go on, but these are foundational truths that we are to hold and have so deeply engrained in our hearts that they shape everything that we have to process.  Unshakeable truths that are to be unshakeable realities.  

When we talk about fullness, our finite minds simply cannot conceive the totality of this truth. This New Testament reveals the Fathers heart and mind: His will.  His fullness is something that we individually are able to partake of and live out on a daily basis.  I don’t know about you but I am striving to live from this place of fulness.  From His fulness we have all received, grace upon grace. I want to do more than just mentally assent to this, I want to vitally possess it and express it. 

Wait

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.  Psalm 27:14

The ‘wait' always involves a time of testing. The place where our faith, our hope, our love is being challenged.  Does the wait change us or do we impact the season of the waiting?  Are we able to stay in a place of “counting it all joy” or do we vacillate dependent on what we see?  Are we driven and tossed?  Do we murmur and complain?  Do we start well, but never finish? 

I don’t know about you but when I find myself waiting on the Lord to move and I begin to waiver in my patience, I begin to look for things I can do in the natural to make things happen.  A most dangerous trap to fall into because there is a God and it’s not me.  He’s the performer.  I’m the believer.  

Are we capable of being like Abraham who had a promise and was able to look at the impossibility of the situation and still trust God to fulfill it?  He did not waiver but grew strong in faith giving glory.  The Psalmist wrote that in the wait God strengthens our heart so he encourages us to wait, and wait well.  Waiting demands us to keep our eyes on Him. 

The Psalmist wrote that in the wait we were to be of good courage.  Courage speaks to condition of heart.  It’s interesting to note that when the Lord spoke to Joshua he said, Be strong AND of good courage.  Don’t be afraid.  Don’t be dismayed for I am with you. 

Moses met the Lord on the mountain top and has a moment about leading and says to the Lord, If you don’t go with me, don’t make me do this.  The Lord’s response was, I’ll go with you.  My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. 

In other words, the very presence of the Lord works to instill strength of heart. Strength of heart always brings us into rest.  Rest is simply abiding in the quiet confidence that God is at work.  The very word wait from the Hebrew carries the idea of waiting confidently.  Have you noticed that anxiety drives the need to do something besides wait? 

 Andrew Murray wrote in His book ‘Waiting on God’,

“Once a believer begins to see it [the absolute and unceasing dependence of continually waiting on God] and consents to it — that he must, by the Holy Spirit, each moment receive what God each moment works — waiting on God becomes his brightest hope and joy. As he begins to understand how God, as God, as infinite Love, delights to impart His own nature to his child as fully as He can — how God is not wary of keeping charge of His life and strength —  he wonders why he ever thought that God could not be waited on all day.  God unceasingly giving and working and His child unceasingly waiting and receiving this is the blessed life.”  

The promise to those who wait upon the Lord from Isaiah was renewed strength, rising up, running without growing weary and walking without fainting.  

Waiting is a good thing.  The Lord is good to those that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 

The Spirit is Willing

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Matthew 26:41

There is no temptation but that which is common to man. We all deal with the fragility of our flesh and are all tempted according to our own unique weaknesses. 

Jesus has made a way for us to overcome every temptation through our own intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit.  It was better that Jesus left us so the Holy Spirit could come.  Now He lives within us forever.  We have been given supernatural power that meets and enables us in every situation, by and through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  

Because we are so focused on behavior and doings, most of the time we think right doing makes us righteous.  Doing, in our own strength and self efforts, simply feeds self righteousness and pride.  Colossians tells us the promoting of self made religion, asceticism, and severity to the body has an appearance of wisdom but has no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  Self discipline apart from the Holy Spirit simply strengthens the flesh.  Where there is no dependency on the work of grace by the Holy Spirit, we are just magnifying our human strength.  It is only by the Holy Spirit that we are able to mortify, kill, deaden, the desires and deeds of the body, Romans 8:13. The flesh works against the Spirit but the Spirit works against the flesh.  

The best way to have abundant life is through the Spirit of Life.  A successful marriage, home, family or career is by the Spirit.  The best way to govern our body is by the Spirit.  The best way to control our thought life is by the Spirit.  The best way to handle any appetite of the flesh is by the Spirit.  The biblical admonition is “be being filled”.  That is, to live in a place of continual communion and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is willing.  Paul wrote where sin abounds grace does much more abound.  Regardless of circumstances, there is an abounding grace which gives all sufficiency, enabling one to abound to every good work.  Whatever is needed in the moment to overcome, the Holy Spirit is willing to provide.  He leads and guides into all truth, filling us with wisdom and strength to know, and then to do.  A successful spiritual life is about living life from the fulness of the Holy Spirit. 

A fruit the Holy Spirit works within us is self control. The Spirit is willing.  It’s not by my might, it's not by my power, but it’s by the Spirit that we are able to overcome our flesh and its weaknesses.  My dependence on myself only strengthens my pride. I get the glory for what I’ve accomplished.  Humility depends entirely on the working of the Spirit, for when I am weak then am I strong. I don’t overcome in my sufficiency, but in His. 

The Spirit is willing.  The Holy Spirit lives to serve the purposes of the Father.  We aren’t talking about more self discipline but rather Spirit led and Spirit enabled obedience. A life consumed by the presence and fellowship of Holy Spirit. 

The Hour has come.....

This morning I was reading from the gospel of John, chapters fifteen and sixteen.  Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure.  They don’t know what is getting ready to happen and they won’t understand the why. In the midst of these words, Jesus uses an illustration of a woman in labour who has sorrow because the hour has come but afterwards she has joy over the birth, John 16: 21-22.

As I was meditating on these things, David forwarded a video clip to me from Lou Engle.  He is telling about the instruction he has received from the Lord to end “The Call”.  I felt like I was watching this very scripture lived out before me as a perfect example of what Jesus was saying. 

What I saw watching this video was his absolute joy at what God was birthing through the next generation; his celebration over the new.  There was no sorrow coming from him at all.  His heart was engaged in this new role of Fathering ~ supporting and releasing the next generation so they could actually move into a “double portion” of all that had been labored for and sown. 

Our generation has primarily been a generation of plowers in this nation.  We’ve dug hard ground and made rough places smooth through our efforts, faith and prayers.  Now, do we come to this place of divine birthing by the Spirit of God and not have strength for the push?  Every woman who has every given birth understands the added pain and work of resisting the birth process. 

This year, I’ve watched some things unfold naturally, that I saw in 1980 by the Spirit of God as we sensed a call to this nation.  I was reminded of that time in my life in these last few weeks while in Ontario.  The Spirit of God is saying, “This, is that, Jeanne. The hour has come.”

Most of us are aware of the huge transition that is taking place in the Body of Christ, with one generation working to release the next.  We are seeing so many dynamics occurring in and through this.  We are seeing power struggles, push and pull over new methods replacing old.  Identity crisis over loss of titles and positions.  Fear and uncertainty of the future for those stepping aside and fear and uncertainty of those now leading being challenged at every decision. It is the birthing process and can only be done by and through the grace of God as those involved determine to birth a healthy baby. 

Jesus’ life was spent preparing a people to carry on His work.  How can we do less?

We talk often about being prepared for such a time as this, but this is the time.  We are now standing in, the moment God has birthed The New into our midst.  Shall we contend with what God has birthed through our own personal sorrow at some perceived personal loss?  NO!  Let us hold the heart and mind of the Father with the wisdom and the understanding that comes with the times.  To see and know clearly that this is the work of God and “to see Him again with our hearts rejoicing, knowing the joy no man can take from us.” 

Living without Care

“He satisfies my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagles.
  Psalm 103:4

Every time I meditate on these verses I’m struck by the thought of youth being renewed.  Probably not so important to those at twenty, thirty, maybe forty, but you hit middle age and you become aware of the proverbial slippery slope.  You understand the pull of gravity and all things you may not have appreciated in your parents take on new meaning and insight for you.  Youth being renewed becomes an extremely appealing concept. 

While we won’t ever discover the mythical “fountain of youth” we are able to find the one who is the source of all life and from him alone be so continually satisfied in Him that we are eternally strengthened and joyful.  What if that is the key to youthfulness - eternally optimistic and carefree?  

I’ve said before that the process of aging well has as much to do with our mind and spirit as it does our body.  Proverbs reminds us of several principals ~

• As a man thinks in his heart so is he. 

• Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when desire comes it’s a trees of life. 

• A merry heart does good like a medicine but a broken spirit dries the bones.

As well, Paul’s writing to the Corinthians says bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things. We can steward our bodies but the neglect of spirit and soul still gives entrance to ills. 

This blessing from the Lord that is ours to freely and fully enjoy is forgiveness, redemption, healing, a crown of mercy and being fully satisfied with good things SO THAT youth is renewed. 
 

I believe living in the place of fully satisfied in all the goodness of God is the key to aging well. Seeing and believing His goodness in all things shows up in our praise and thanksgiving. A merry heart, a thankful heart, are reflections of  being satisfied.  

King David wrote,
Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord o my soul and forget not ALL his benefits. 

My Soul is Troubled

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

John 12:28

We all have those moments where our “souls are troubled” and our default setting would be to escape all hardships.  I dare say most of us view pain and suffering as something to avoid at all costs, yet there are places we will never conform to the character of the Jesus without some pressure on us forcing us to make right  choices.

Paul wrote (and we looked at this last week) God would not allow us to be tempted beyond what we were able to bear.  In other words, no matter what situation I am facing there is ALWAYS a way of escape. It always boils down to the things we choose to do in the midst of trouble.   Here, in the midst of trouble is our crucible. 

I’ve noticed in my own life, that when I arrive at places and am internally in a state of flux, that I’ve missed something the Holy Spirit would’ve shown me about things to come.  The gospels record three other events where Jesus was troubled; 

• Mary’s (and others) grief over Lazarus’ death, 

• Judas’ betrayal,

• and Himself in the garden 

None of these events moved him from the divine purposes of God.  In every situation, Jesus held the mind of God and knew the ways of His Father.  He knew exactly what to do and what to say.  I find this so encouraging and absolutely frustrating when I’m in these moments and seemingly don’t know what to do!   These examples remind me I can know.  These aren’t God issues - they are my issues.  I remind myself that while Isaiah tells us that Gods thoughts and ways are higher than ours - it does not say we can’t know them.  It just takes searching out and time with Him to know. 

So Jesus, in this particular moment, in John twelve, is in Jerusalem for the passover.  He has just entered the city upon much fanfare, Lazarus has been raised from the dead, the Pharisees are trying to kill Jesus and he tells his disciples the cost of following him. 

His soul is troubled, his flesh wants to be saved from this hour, and yet he knows it was for this cause he came to this very moment in time and what does he do?  

“Father, glorify you name”.  Jesus yields.  Jesus submits. He just moves forward into the assignment given Him in order to redeem our lives. How could we do less?

Tests and Trials

1 Corinthians 10:13 ~ there is no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. 

I think one of my earliest revelations as a believer was learning temptation itself was not sin.  It was an opportunity to disobey God but I still had the chance to stay out of the trap.  

God told Cain, sin lies at the door.  Its desire is for you, but you must master it.  

I’m thankful, as an NT believer, grace does much more abound where sin lies.  In other words, we can overcome any and every temptation by leaning into and receiving the grace of God.  Thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. 

Oswald Chambers has written “Temptation is a suggested short cut to the realization of the highest at which I aim — not towards what I understand as evil.”  Simply stated, Satan works to keep us from pursuing our God given destinies.  If he can convince us we have no value to God, or our part is not significant, we are basically dead in the water until we rise up and believe what He has said to us, about us. 

When we read about Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, we find it centering on his identity. IF you be the son of God was a challenge to everything Jesus has learned about himself up to that point.  The only thing we hold that defeats all lies and temptations is the written word that we personally own strongly enough, that we declare: It is written! 

Once the challenge to His identity was met and defeated, Jesus was offered a shortcut to achieve ruling and reigning over the universe that didn’t require the Cross.  How many times have we fallen prey to the easier way so we could avoid the pain and suffering of hardship? 

The epistle of James shows us the process of a temptation. 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted of God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is  fully grown brings forth death.  James 1:12-15

Please note, God does test but Satan tempts, and Satans’ temptation is always for our disobedience. To him that knows to do good and does it not to him it is sin.  This epistle tells us that this temptation towards unbelief is never the nature of God, and that God himself tempts no one. 

Oswald Chambers wrote,” A man's disposition on the inside, i.e., what he possesses in his personality, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the nature of the one tempted, and reveals the possibilities of the nature. Every man has the setting of his own temptation.”

If we view all temptation as the opportunity to follow a path that will lead us away from our God given destiny, we might then be quicker to access that grace that much more abounds when sin lies at the door of our heart to master us. 

Temptation yielded to is lust deified, BUT GOD is faithful, who with the temptation makes a way of escape.  

If you be......

If you be the son of God…..Matthew 4:3

What do you do when the word of the Lord is being tried in your life?  Joseph had a vision and until that vision came to pass Joseph had many opportunities to question this word from God.  Psalm 105:19 tells us “until the time his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tried him.”

The more conservative interpretations of this verse talk about Josephs natural prison experience. Others present this phrase as a metaphor to his soul becoming strong (like iron) as the word was tested.  

Our souls becoming like iron is just another way of saying we are stedfast with our believing. It’s the place we come to when we are simply not moved by natural circumstances but strengthened in our confidence that God is not a liar.  His word is true and it shall come to pass.   We aren’t consumed with a time factor.  We aren’t anxious.  We aren’t fearful.  We are simply committed to God with an unshakeable trust in Him and His promise.  We are at rest while His word comes to pass. 

We become dull to the spiritual reality of trials and temptations through our wrong understanding of them.  We misunderstand their purpose.  Every trial, every temptation reveals our hearts condition.  It reveals, faith or unbelief, rest or anxiety, fear or love.  

Until the word comes to pass, that word tries us. 

From Matthew’s gospel, Jesus comes up from His baptism to the affirmation of the Father; “my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”.  He is then driven by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. All Jesus knows and believes, at this point, will be sifted and examined.  

Our lives will not be any different. Once the word comes, there is the examination of our hearts to discover whether we really believe that word is true to us.  We are proven in our trust of Him, not the validity of the word. 

Every word of God has been tried and has been found true; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6 Psalm 18:30.  The circumstances simply reveal our hearts condition. The epistle of James calls this the trying or testing of our faith. This is about us, not God.  Again, this is about our hearts, not whether the word is true or not.  

The book of Hebrews reminds us, They were not able to enter into the promised land because of their evil hearts of unbelief which caused them to depart from God. The temptation will either remove us from God or we will remain stedfast in our believing.  Our believing equates to obedience of activity assigned to us.  

Temptations always carry a back door, give us a short cut and present the wide path of escape. 

Life’s temptations never change.  The IFs and BUTs will lead us astray.   The devil is a liar. The Father of all lies and there is NO truth in Him.  Jesus said I am come that you would know the truth, and in knowing the truth we are set free. 

The word trust is defined as the assured reliance on the character, strength, ability and truth of someone or something.  On this earth we shall have temptations, but Jesus said, “I’ve told you these things that IN ME you might have peace.”  We err in trying to create an environment that is free of trial and temptations.  What we must learn is how to be right in the midst of them. Jesus overcame the world.  Jesus passed His test and the “devil left him and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

Man doesn’t live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. When temptation comes the right response is to endure with a resounding Yes and Amen in our hearts and minds to Gods promises. 

Take the Mountain!

I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. Joshua 14:11

I love Caleb’s declaration, as he stands before the generation that has crossed over into the promised land, and now are all dividing the land before them.   “Give me the mountain” is the Spirit I want to hold at 80 years of age.  

How do you maintain a strength of Spirit when you know that you are destined to  wander for forty years in the wilderness?  How do you keep from being offended with people who have created the circumstances your must now endure?  How do you keep from being mad at God for making you suffer with everyone else?  

I am still as strong today (at 80 years of age) as I was the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then.  I’m sure Caleb was talking about his physical ability but I want to talk to you about maintaining a spiritual strength, and not just maintaining but allowing the Lord to increase our strength; going from a place of strength to greater strength.  A spiritual place where we are truly strong in the Lord, doing exploits in His name, taking mountains in our young age, middle age and our old age.  Spiritual strength isn’t about natural age. It’s about condition of heart.  

We know that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and the knowledge that every word He speaks must be believed before it can be received is seen over and over again through the examples in the bible.  Being strengthened with might by His spirit in the inner man, from Paul’s prayer in Colossians chapter one, is about endurance. It’s about patience with joy.  It’s about standing and waiting and not caving in, not quitting, not changing minds about what God has promised.  

Joshua and Caleb, spying out the land, saw the giants, saw the abundant provision and made a choice to believe God. The children of Israel saw the giants, saw the provision and saw themselves as grasshoppers and chose to not believe God.  The letter to the Hebrews tells us Israel could not  enter in because of their evil heart of unbelief.  

After 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua was still able to lead a generation into the promised land and Caleb was still willing and able to take the mountain. 

We ask how, and the answer would be by guarding our heart.  Making sure that our heart is firmly attached to the Lord and our trust is in Him and His word.  Our eyes are on Him and not man.  This is a daily determination.  Think about it.  40 years wandering with a bunch of whiners, doubters, disobeyers who had seen the works of God and choose to dis.believe. 

Where we stop resisting the lies of the devil, we begin to adapt to the circumstances.  Physically, when you age, you begin to lose muscle tone and strength.  Spiritually when you break fellowship with the Father and His word you lose strength.  We need strength to perform and endure.  We aren’t always going to be in the pristine circumstances that encourage faith and confidence while living on this earth with other people.  We can’t live in isolation just so nobody messes with us.  In the midst of life, we must learn to stay engaged with the Father on a daily basis. 

I’m encouraging you this morning, as we watch the day approach, to keep yourself strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 

Boundaries

Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it proceed the issues of life.  Proverbs 4:23

The Hebrew on the word ‘Issues’ shows its various meanings as 1. limit, end, extremity, i.e., the furthest-most point of space (Nu 34:5); 2. starting point, source, wellspring, i.e., the source of an event or activity from the figurative extension of the beginning limit of a space (Pr 4:23); 3. exit, i.e., the way or path out from a city (Eze 48:30); 4. an escape, i.e., the act. of deliverance from a dangerous situation (Ps 68:21) Swanson Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The heart holds the beginning of a thing, the limitations of it and an escape. Amazing and true;

life flows from the content of the heart. Because of sin and its effects, our hearts also contain our own limitations. It’s a paradox: we seemingly sabotage the very thing we know to pursue.  All of us are a composite of experiences and words that have shaped our inner man; even our born again inner man.  Left to ourselves we would be constantly starting, hindering and stopping the dreams of our hearts from being achieved. That’s why it’s so wonderful to remember that our kept hearts also contain and show us the wisdom for our next steps forward.

The phrase issue of life is translated by both the ESV and NASB as flow the springs of life, which paints a picture of something moving forward.  

NIV ~ for everything you do flows from it.

NLT ~ for it determines the course of your life.

NET ~ for from it are the sources of life. 

All painting this picture which shows us how important what we carry in our heart is to the well being of our lives.  Solomon wrote, Guard your heart.  Again, in the following definition, we have a series of meanings to the word guard that give us a vivid picture of what guarding looks like. 

preserve, keep, maintain, protect, i.e., cause to be safe from danger, implying a relationship with the protector (Ps 40:12), spared, kept safe, i.e., pertaining to being free from danger, as an extension of keeping a valuable hidden (Isa 49:6; Eze 6:12+); keep, observe, comply, i.e., obey a command (Ps 78:7); 4. secret, be hidden, i.e., pertaining to things not readily known (Isa 48:6; 65:4+); 5. be crafty, i.e., pertaining to being evil and damaging, with a focus that the actions are secretive or underhanded (Pr 7:10+) Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Adam was placed in the garden to guard it and keep it.  We are told from the New Testament to keep watch, stay awake, guard our hearts.  There are things we must be attentive to and when we drop our guards, just like Eve engaged with the serpent, we begin to entertain the subtle conversations that will lead us astray from what God has really said.  

As David and I face the next season of our lives, I find that I am challenged with certain heart issues ~ most of which come down to two simple thoughts;

Those things where I say, ‘I won’t do’ and those that I say, ‘I can’t do’.  I see where “I won’t” is simply pride because it involves my will.  I can’t is my own place of unbelief that prevents me from trying.  Both are equally wicked in the sight of God and require repentance.  We know its the evil heart of unbelief that prevented the children of Israel from entering into the promise of God and kept them in the wilderness, wandering around for 40 years.  For me to guard my heart requires me to make sure my boundaries are secure and nothing is breaking through; which is always, ultimately about my thought life and where the unbelief is lurking. 

If Joshua was told to meditate on God’s word day and night, Joshua 1:8, so he was able to do all that was written in it, don’t you know that if we meditate on a lie day and night we will ultimately “do” the lie.  Solomon wrote, over and over again in the book of Proverbs the need to attend to the word.  

There are some things in life that you feel powerless to change, yet in all circumstances we do have sovereign right and control over us.  I can lean into God and be strong in His grace.  I can encourage myself in the word.  I can establish my heart and quiet my soul.  We might not be able to naturally change what is happening but we are not powerless.  To say we are denies the very existence of God working in our life and our need to believe.   

The greater the press, the greater the stuff pressed out.  Peter wrote in his first epistle,  don’t think it’s strange that these fiery trials are here to try you.   Jesus has a baptism of fire and the purging of all dross (unbelief) must take place to be shaped and fitted for His use.  We might not have all the answers today, it’s a stretch and challenge for the soul, but we must be committed to the process and be determined to endure to the end.  Wherever that leads, whatever the process, we must guard our hearts so the issues flowing from us are found rooted in the fullness of God.

His Fullness

I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.  

Romans 15:29

KJV ~  the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

NIV ~ full measure of the blessing of Christ.

Fullness, full measure = sum total

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon identifies the word fullness as that which is (or has been) filled; In the N.T. Ephesians 4:13, the body of believers, as that which is ‘filled’ with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ: and from Ephesians 3:19 that ye may become a body “wholly filled and flooded” by God.

Colossians tells us 'in Christ' the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and now, we have been filled in Him. Christ in us is the hope of the glory of God being seen and manifested on this earth.  That’s a lot of power to commit to mere men and a tremendous responsibility to become vessels of honor fit for the masters use.  

In the OT we learned that there was a right way to carry the presence of God. From 2 Samuel chapter six starting with verse five, we read;

David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the LORD come to me?” 10So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

It seems like a harsh thing to happen to Uzzah, simply instinctive on his part, yet, Uzzah, a Levite, erred in what He did. There was a right way to carry the Ark, the presence God, and they weren’t.  You would think with all the worshipping and joy and the presence being with them that something like this could not happen, but this shows us the need for doing His things, His way.   

I believe Presence and power works best through purity.  As NT believers we are the carriers of His Presence, believers ‘filled’ with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ: a body “wholly filled and flooded” by God through His Holy Spirit. 

We are not to come filled with ourselves.  We are not to be filled with our own agenda or our own words and ways, but we are to be filled with His fullness that always carries His blessing.

Uzzah had access to instructions on how to carry the ark.  After His death they got it right.   Hosea 4:6 reminds us that we perish for a lack of knowledge, forgetting what we know, or simply rejecting it.  Apparently ignorance is no excuse when we have a book we can read. And rejecting God’s commands is, well, just plain willful and deadly. 

The ark resting at Obed-Edom’s house brought a blessing to his entire household.  The Lord told Moses ~ My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.  The fullness of His presence operating through our lives is His place of blessing and rest.

I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. 

The Acceptable Sacrifice

Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?  Amos 5:25. 

The answer to the question is ‘yes’, however, Acts 7 holds Stephens account before the Jewish council, with verse 42 repeating Amos 5:25. Was it to me you were sacrificing during those 40 years in the desert?  Verse 43 is a qualifier - No, your real interest was in your heathen gods.

Yesterday, our 7 year old grandson Micah was having a conversation with us regarding a theft that had occurred.  He wanted to know why God couldn’t just make the person ‘give it back’. We talked about the goodness of God in giving every person the very special gift of choice.  We took the conversation from the thieves choice to steal around to our own choices we make to obey. 

As we grow, we find sophisticated ways to offer up our sacrifices (do the right things while others are looking) while we continue to serve our hearts desires.  BUT GOD looks at the heart and so so so desires the heart of man TO WANT TO want Him!  Oh that I would truly love him, not only in words, but in deed and truth, with all my heart and all my soul, all my mind and strength.  Jesus quoted from Isaiah when he said These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far removed from me.   

When we engage our hearts in pure worship of God, we find ourselves loving Him for who He is.  Gratefulness and thanksgiving pour from our lips as we acknowledge all He Has done for us.  Faith and confidence rise as we join ourselves to Him, feed on Him and receive all of His goodness and mercy.  

God allowed Israel to go after their other Gods.  God allowed Israel to play the harlot. God allowed the adultery.  God allowed the excesses of life. God allowed the misuse of provision.  I find it interesting that some of the provision God sent them out of Egypt with was used to build the golden calf.  In all of this, all the people had a promise from God that came with conditions that when met, guaranteed fulfillment but He left the choice up to then. 

Behold I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days…” Deuteronomy 30:19.

It is recorded in Deuteronomy 31:27 that Moses said, “ For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord. How much more after my death?”

We can stay assured of being able to resist temptation when it comes by “hiding his word in our heart so that we might not sin against him”. .  We are a Kingdom of Priests showing forth the praises of Him who has redeemed our lives.  We put on a garment of praise and the fruit of our lips give thanks to Him.  This is an acceptable sacrifice.  Obedience is an acceptable sacrifice. Our sacrifices and offerings are a life that is humbled before Him with worship, in Spirit and in truth.  

This is His acceptable sacrifice, one that he receives.