BY:J.FARRELL FISHER, DEC. 2-4, 2017

In Proverbs 23:4-5, 12, and 17-19, are extremely wise, necessary words for all men, but especially to true believers! It says, Verses 4-5, “Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”

Verse 12 says, “Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.” (Would you think that means ‘turn your hearts and minds TO God’s Word’ and ‘your ears to “Biblical Truth”?’).

Verses 17-19 says, “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day; for surely there is a hereafter, and your hope (in Him and His Word!) will not be cut off. Hear, my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way.”

What ‘way’ do you choose to walk in? “Mindful indulgence or Mastered independence?” In Matthew 6:19-21 the Lord Jesus said: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Is there a reason for what Christ said? In Colossians 3:5 Paul wrote, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.”

All unbelievers and ‘sons of disobedience’ WALK in “mindful indulgence” completely unaware of the consequences! In Romans 8:8 Paul wrote, “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God”, meaning that those who live ‘in the flesh’ dominated by their old sin-natures cannot please God, emphasizing even more in Romans 8:13 saying, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die…”, unveiling unregenerate people who are, yes, hostile to God, and in the ‘flesh’ cannot create, invent, manufacture, or idealize ‘holy living’ – that takes a miracle of the love, grace, and mercy of God!

‘Mindful indulgence’ is the result of the birthings of perverted generations as Romans 3:23 clearly announces, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” Natural man “misses the mark” and needs “Blood Redemption” by the purely innocent shed blood of the Son of God who knew no sin yet willfully took our sin natures to the Cross with Him!

In Romans 3:10-18 Paul quoted Old Testament passages to open men’s eyes, minds, and hearts to the need of their “blood redemption through Christ” saying: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.

They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

“Mindful indulgence” is ‘self-effort’ denying the need of ‘sovereign provision’ in any form or any Person, seeking to ‘justify’ one’s life by ‘grit’, refusing the grace of God; and, of course, there are those who believe by ‘working at it’ their effort ought to be “passed” with flying colors, rather than “Resting” in the finished work of Christ at the Cross and the empty tomb, making available Resurrection Life, Resurrection Hope, and Resurrection Power!! Romans 3:24 clearly tells us, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, WHOM GOD SET FORTH AS A PROPITIATION BY HIS BLOOD…!!!”

It’s so convicting and heart-breaking to become aware of, yes, multitudes who truly believe their ‘working at being a better person’, or for some, they just don’t care what God thinks about them – but…Romans 4:4 is clear: “Now to him who works (at making himself/herself acceptable before Holy God), the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.” Is ‘true salvation’ “working at it” or “RESTING” in Christ’s “finished work at the Cross”?

In John 5:38-40 Christ Jesus exposed the “religious Pharisees” of His day, as He does today with ‘modern-day’, religious activists who, yes, major on “self-effort” rather than His “finished work”! John wrote: “But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe (trust in, rely upon, adhere to!). You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

In John 17:11b-19 the Lord Jesus prayed for His new disciples that He’d soon be departing from, saying, “…Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition (Judas), that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify (Set apart) them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

Question! “Have YOU been ‘set apart’ for the glory of God alone? Do YOU live to unveil the Indwelling Christ to the ‘lost world’ around you? Are YOU His messenger, His ambassador, His witness of saving grace, mercy, and love? Do YOU by “life example” reveal to your world your allegiance to King Jesus?

“Mindful Allegiance” is a life “too busy” with one’s natural surroundings to be concerned with, involved in, or a messenger of “King-dom Allegiance”! Some in church fellowships that, as disciples, the Lord Jesus said to them and us in Matthew 16: 17-19, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, (Farrell Fisher, David Clark, T.Roy Jones, anointed wife of a strong, trusting husband, medical doctor “So and so”, banker, car-washer, educator), for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, AND ON THIS ROCK (OF FAITH, TRUST, AND OBEDIENCE!) I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR “BINDING AND LOOSING MINISTRY!” Do YOU realize that YOU are either binding kingdom ministry on the earth around you OR you are loosing the Kingdom of Christ around you by, yes, your faithful ministry as an appointed, anointed servant of the Master or is it just an ‘imitator’, ‘do nothing’ church member?

Are YOU a “kingdom minister”? In Matthew 6:33 Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”, with more enlightment for true believers and servants of the Master coming in John 18:36-38 when Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

Right before His ascension, in Acts 1:7-8, the Lord Jesus said to His new disciples, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. BUT YOU shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Witnesses, messengers, ambassadors, proclaimers, servants in the Name and for the honor and glory of Christ in us and through us, because in you the Word reveals a redeemed life filled with the Holy Spirit, being, yes, guided by the Holy Spirit in being a faithful witness to the unredeemed around you?

But, sadly, the Holy Word of God reveals the truth that there are those who, according to Romans 2:4-11, should have God’s holy judgment against them clearly revealed! Paul wrote: “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? BUT in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ‘who will render to each one according to his deeds’: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; BUT TO THOSE WHO ARE SELF-SEEKING AND DO NOT OBEY TRUTH, BUT OBEY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS – indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who seeks what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.”

I’m sure that at least most ‘professing believers’ know what is commonly called the “Lord’s Prayer” as He taught His new disciples in Matthew 6 unveiling it with powerful instructions in Verses 5-8 followed by the “Lord’s Prayer” in Verses 9-13! Receive our Lord’s powerful ministry AND instruction through His teaching!

Matthew 6:5-8, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites (or “play actors”). For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Verses 9-13 follows – Receive our Lord’s Prayer! It says: In this manner, therefore, pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

“Mastered Independence”? That’s a life conquered by the love of God, set free from the law of sin and death by the blood of the Lamb, governed by His Kingdom rule and revelation, freed from the “chains of Satanic bondage”, issued the “Master’s instruction of heavenly independence from the worldly aims of godlessness, from a world system of self-dependence, from the ‘flesh’ stronghold of sin and death, and from the darkness of demonic activity”, and discerning of what, yes, fallen mankind and, sadly, some believers are influenced by as John was inspired to write in 1 John 2:15-17,

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

And “Mastered Independence”? That’s pastors, churches, families, individuals, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, then loosed in a fallen world, yes, “mastered independently” to BE “salt and light” in one’s darkened world, not making sure the “salt and light” is protected by the four walls of a church building, but poured out faithfully in the streets of one’s city, state, nation, and its world!

I’ve often wondered if pastors and churches today “rest” in the Word of God, then find themselves “released” to touch the World God loves with the message of His Son. In Isaiah 54:1-3 merciful God is touching His ‘barren people’ who’ve failed to be “poured out drink offerings” to a thirsty, dry, unredeemed world! Receive His Word!! “Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall EXPAND to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.”

It’s time for “stained glass curtains” hiding too many disciples faith to be removed, maybe, allowing the “True Light” to shine in the streets where they walk, work, witness, worship, and willfully share their faith in Christ! Our Lord and Savior willfully left the “Throne Room of God” to pour out His life to our needy world, and I believe He wants us, yes, laying down our lives in the streets of the cities of our world! Great witnesses are mortal men and women touched and taken over by Jesus, tutored by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by Christ to see transformed lives by faithful witnesses who share God’s eternal love, grace, and mercy for, yes, ALL of fallen mankind!

Grace E. Uhler once wrote: “For God so loved the world, not just a few, The wise and Great, the noble and the true, Or those of favored class or race or hue. God so loved the world. Do you?”

It’s time for modern-day churches, faithful pastors, families of faith and biblical mission to lose themselves in a flood of Calvary’s love, faithfully becoming “poured-out drink offerings” to this spiritually dehydrated world! Amen? Sadly, some ‘professing disciples’ are the result of a ‘dead faith’ that isn’t worth sharing, so they don’t, because their ‘faith’ isn’t of any value in them or around them because they’ve never comprehended the end result of Christ-less living! “God, help us, convict us, prepare us, and pour us out to our thirsty world!” Amen?

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, AUGUST 27-28, 2017

The title is not original at all with me but heard on national television about certain ‘criminals’ who couldn’t conceive the seriousness of the charge because they were so sure they were doing what was right! How stupid can one be? Yet much of fallen humanity today, alienated and separated from God, are clueless as to their guilt, alienation, and separation from God. And, of course, the felon minds, mostly, refuse to admit there is a God that they are, supposedly, supposed to be accountable to!

Depraved minds rain “innocent pleas” when Holy God desires “new-born” divine minds choosing lives yielded for the purpose of glorifying God on earth through Christ as He is in Heaven! Just maybe, there are those specific, godless people Holy God doesn’t choose, even though He died for them, shed His own blood on the Cross, and arose desiring those to be His whose hearts beat with passion and desire to be His ‘tabernacle’ on earth, but some sadly refuse!

It’s either submission to the will of God for one’s life or his/her own insistence they’ll go their own ‘way’ – and He allows that decision, evidenced by godless living! Submission to the will of God goes against the grain of fleshly desire to remain “misdemeanor minds in a felony world”, understanding for the humbled, broken, and ‘faith-seekers’, “There must be a better life than man at his best demonstrates!” And they learn, “Jesus IS the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes TO God but through Me!”

“Misdemeanor minds in a felony world” are personally deafened by choice to sense, hear, or desire to even know or do the will of God, deepened and drowning in the dangerous ‘sea waters’ of godless brainlessness and darkened, hardened hearts! You may have read some of Frank C. Laubach’s “Letters by a Modern Mystic”, (1884-1970), but one of his classic statements that alerted me to this message was a statement saying, that he became “disgusted with the pettiness and futility of my unled self” – and I thought, “How true of all men without God!”

I’m convinced that the “misdemeanor minded” are individuals who pay no attention to “the Wind that blows wherever it wishes, and even hear its sound, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes” – their attitude? “Get me out of this windy place!” But one who faces the reality of “wind conviction” can experience the reality of being “born from above, born of God, born of the Spirit” becoming “new men and new women in Christ”!

“Misdemeanor minds in a felony world” are relentless and tireless in avoiding any confrontations about God! Even in the educational fields, or ‘high business commerce’, in both professional and private lives, and, sadly, even in the ‘creative’ arts, plus the masses of unbelievers, there is a drought of any desire to know God, be apprehended by Him, or to have to acknowledge a need of any ‘saving grace’ outside themselves!

Do you remember the prophetic words of Isaiah when in Isaiah 1:2-9 he spoke unveiling the sad dilemmas of sinful nations like Israel became, except for its remnant. Isaiah wrote: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; the ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.’ (Are you aware of that fleshly spirit around you?).

Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity; a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? (By God?). You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints.

From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; strangers devour your land in your presence; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah.”

And, do you know what Verse 10 follows with? “Hear the word of the Lord!” Has that changed much, if any? God still calls today for men to hear Him, but, for many, ‘deaf ears’ rule, or ‘professors of a faith’ will substitute ‘religious rituals’ trying to ‘atone’ for their guilt themselves apart from the ‘Lamb’s blood through His crucifixion, followed by His Resurrection’, with the promise to birth “new lives” making them His Holy Temple of abiding Presence! THAT would change their lives too much, so they settle for religious pretense!

Included in ‘fallen men’s religious pretense’ is: BE INVOLVED AND COMMITTED TO WHATEVER MAKES YOU “HAPPY”. The problem with that is that Holy God isn’t interested in your fleshly happiness but your holiness because of the true working of Christ’s shed blood! Fleshly happiness, even in men’s best efforts, is academy award winning effort in intense cravings for life’s meaning that can only be discerned through the Blood Atonement – and that only occurs when one craves for oneness with God, and settles that desire God’s Way! Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me!”

In John 7:38 Jesus said: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘out of his heart will flow rivers of living water,” explaining in the very next verse that He spoke of the flow of the Holy Spirit in one’s life as they leaned on and trusted in the ministry of the Holy Spirit and not their “best effort determination”! Do you understand that there are a ton of things representing ‘flesh’ or your old sin nature that must go, and a ton of things of God’s blessing and provision the Spirit wants to release in you if you’re willing to give Him His rightful place! Are YOU abandoned to Spirit-anointing and His guidance in, through, and over your walk of faith?

In 2 Peter 1:21, just after he had spoken about ‘a light shining in dark places,” he said: “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.”

Sad to say, too many ‘disciples of Christ’ are not informed about the necessity of Holy Spirit anointing, abiding, equipping, gifting, and training by the Holy Spirit – it’s ‘strange’ to far too many believers! But Paul equipped His followers in Romans 15:13 when he wrote: “Now 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.”

Jude really laid a super-strong foundation when he wrote in Jude 20-25 the following: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, (Is that “Standing on the Promises?”), praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

And on some have compassion, making a distinction, but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh (or old sin-nature). NOW to HIM who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” AND, do YOU say “Amen to that”?

Some “build themselves up” on their self-evaluation and their self-confidence which is ‘zero’ in comparison to “Holy Faith, Holy Promises, and Holy Ability”! They are blind to God and His promises!

For one powerful promise, God tells us: “I’m Able to “keep you from stumbling”, when ‘flesh’ ALWAYS leans to stumbling and ‘falling away’! Second promise? “I’m Able “to present you faultless before the presence of My glory”, when ‘flesh-presence’ is riddled with weakness’! Third promise? “I’m able to bless you with exceeding joy”, when ‘godless vessels’ attempt only to ‘be happy’ but fails over and over! Fourth promise? “I’m able to bless you now AND forever throughout all eternity!”

Yet, how many do you know who are aware of the last four promises yet never execute in faith and obedience? What did Jesus say in John 14:6? “I am the way, the truth, and the life; not a single person comes to My Father except through Me.” Do you know anything about “the deer that pants for the water”? I love Wood Kroll’s comment in his book “7 Secrets to Spiritual Success”. He said: (p.49), “Don’t thirst for God for what you can get out of Him. Love God not what He can do for you, but because there is no equal to Him….This kind of intimacy is not found through the experience of salvation alone, but through the ongoing desire of a longing heart, thirsting after God.” Glory!

Isaiah, the prophet, elaborated in Isaiah 64:6-8, saying: “But WE ARE ALL LIKE AN UNCLEAN THING, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities. BUT NOW, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; and we all are the work of Your hand.”

Dare I tell you that you are either being ‘shaped by the world, your sin-nature, or Satan’ OR you “YIELD” to the Sovereign hands of Holy God, yes, to mold you in the exact likeness of Christ Jesus Himself”! It’s either a “maimed life” or it’s a “MASTER-ED LIFE” carefully and wonderfully being shaped into the image of Christ!

A.W.Tozer, in his writing, “The Pursuit of God”, (Camp Hill, Penn.: Christian Publications,Inc., 1982, p.12), wrote: “We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him. All the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand: ‘Thy right hand upholdeth me.’” SO TRUE!

If Holy God plants within us, yes, the desire to even turn to Him and know Him, is it then because of our ‘fleshly ingenuity’ that we become capable to discern God’s will for us? And, I say to you, absolutely not! Flesh will misinterpret, limit, change, inspire, to fit into us what flesh wants, but the Holy Spirit of God, yes, “guides us into all truth”! In Romans 8:9-11 Paul instructs and inspires us about “Spirit-Anointed Living”! He said:

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he/she is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Oh, and then in Romans 8:14, Paul clearly spells out the EVIDENCE OF A TRUE SON OF GOD: “For as many as are led by the Spirit, these are sons of God.”

Do you remember when Jesus came and found the disciples sleeping? Mark 14:37 tells us Jesus said, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Peter was sure he’d never be made to stumble, but he did! But some believers are not aware of the mental construction of defensive walls against the powers of darkness wanting to invade you and infect you with “Satan’s brand of temptation”, alluring you away from a truly Christ-honoring walk!

Hear the wise man of Proverbs as he spoke in Proverbs 23:26-28! “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. For a harlot is a deep pit, and a seductress is a narrow well. She also lies in wait as for a victim, and increases the unfaithful among men.” Earlier, in Proverbs 6:27-29, the Holy Spirit says, “Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.”

How do you receive and benefit from God’s “gift” of the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth or do you ignore the ministry of the Spirit? And knowing “Christ in you” is your hope of glory, abiding within you, how blind spiritually must you be to recklessly choose to indulge His “temple of grace” into your house of illicit activity? No “born again believer” lives without the Holy Spirit living within, but that doesn’t mean we’re automatically free from embarrassing Him! And since He does abide in every true born- again believer, is it that the Spirit is insensitive to the enemies’ spiritual warfare against those who want us in their darkness or us being ignorant ourselves to win the war against the demons or us just ‘stupid’ about what the Spirit longs to be and do for us?

“Misdemeanor minds in a felony world” or new hearts and lives birthed into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and us “resting in Him” as our hope of glory, yes, against the fallen world, the failing flesh, and futile Satan and his demons? “Choose you this day whom you will serve!” And every day you need to make that choice! “Yes, Lord, I am Yours, and I have no desire to live indulging a misdemeanor mind in a felony world, but longing day by day to live in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

A few fresh words just birthed: “Living in the Light of our Lord’s victorious Way, gone from the dark paths of sin that cause me to stray; Lord, no longer darkness for me, but the Light of Your eternal Day!

I now know the love of God perfected, Because I know it was for me He was resurrected; Grace once denied I now take to my side; and thanks to the Spirit who helps me abide!

Days in the flesh are only fleshly understood, Dark shadows bring demons to my mind covering my mind with a hood; But when the Spirit comes He comes to enlighten, to fade the night and spark the Day of Jesus’ Presence in His eternal Way.

Though stranded at times in stupid deception, the Spirit comes to show me the Loving Father’s reception; the Spirit is clear about God’s power to forgive, and the bright Day awaiting as to Jesus I bow.

Though disconsolate in spirit when to Jesus I bow, His faithful Word of mercy shows me how, that from the Light I’ve been straying, His love for me is never failing, and His Ship of Faith is ready for my sailing!

So, Holy Spirit, lead us all to pray, that from the darkness we may depart, and rest in peace before our Lord’s merciful heart. Spirit of God, empower us this day, and by Your power endue us with love never failing, with love excelling to honor our King.” AMEN?

SEPT.11-SEPT. 12, 2017, by J.FARRELL FISHER

In Genesis 1:26 the God-head had a sovereign meeting , God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and the Father said in Genesis 1:26, God speaking, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness…”, but the Father was not interested in ‘spiritual robots’ that had no will to respond positively or negatively – God wanted the human race to be His by choice in the mind and heart of men, not a ‘push-button’ philosophy void of man’s free will!

But it didn’t take long for ‘trouble’ to brew because in Genesis 3 the “serpent” appeared! (That’s Satan!), and how did he address Eve who’d been told by God, “You may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.” And Satan’s response? “You surely will not die”, they ate of the forbidden fruit – AND SURELY DIED the spiritual death that we all have inherited through “flesh”!

Be assured! Satan casts doubt on the Word of God! Satan twists the truth! Satan spawns doubt, confusion, and unbelief! Satan spouts “the Lie” – “You surely shall not die”, but they did and so does modern man today!

In Romans 1:20-23 Paul said: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into ‘images’ made like corruptible man -“!

Oh! And then Paul unveiled what God DID to expose their fallen nature saying: Romans 1:24, “God..gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Romans 1:25, who exchanged the truth of God for THE LIE (one can sin and not die!), worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

Romans 1:26, “God…gave them up to vile passions.” Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind…”

Romans 1:32, “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

Oh, but then in Colossians 1:12-18 the Apostle Paul magnifies the “preeminence of Christ and His precious promises”, saying: “giving thanks to the Father who has ‘qualified’ us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS and CONVEYED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE, in whom we HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins. He (Christ Jesus) is the image (exact, perfect likeness) of the invisible God, the firstborn over all (the old or “new”) creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through Him AND for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (or are “held together”). And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

Question! “Are YOU loyal to Christ Jesus in all things, or, have you reserved a segment of your life under your own administration?” “Do YOU declare allegiance to Christ Jesus, yet sense, in yourself, ‘There are some things He may ask me to do, but He must be mistaken because that’s not in my reasonable ‘notions’ for a sane man to do?’” Or, “Isn’t obedience my option in the days of grace and mercy? Don’t I have the right to say, ‘Yes, Lord, that may be true for others, but not for me?’” How ‘fool-ish’ some ‘believers’ become!

In Psalm 102:12-13, 18-22 are uplifting verses when one faces a ‘down-grading’ world, religious gatherings, or, yes, a demonic system! It says: Verses 12-13, “But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion (Your chosen people!); for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. (Is THIS your set time?).

Verses 18-22, This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the Lord viewed the earth (Is His eye still on you?), To hear the groaning of the prisoner, to release those appointed to death, To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, When the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.”

Please come with me to Hebrews 11:8-10 and ask: “As Christ has called me to come and follow Him, where does He lead me?” The Hebrew passage? “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

And, DO YOU, as a professor of faith in Christ, do you know of the “new Jerusalem” which is, yes, a part of the present then, now, and forever abiding place for the true disciples of Christ IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? We come into this “capital city” of the Kingdom of God because our forever residence is assured in and through Christ alone – we repented, put our faith and trust in Him alone, and Holy God declared us citizens of Christ’s Kingdom!

“Calvary the Cross”! Are YOU identified with Christ in His death on the cruel Cross over 2000 years ago? What does Galatians 2:20-21 tell us? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the “life” which I now live in the flesh I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God…”

I tell you, there are many, many men and women who ignore the crucifixion of Christ to their present loss and ignore their destiny without Him in a dark world of devilish, demonic, and unbeliever-rage, not knowing or appreciating the horrible scourging, suffering, and dying by Christ Jesus for them, as if they were the only humans ever to live! The Cross of Christ was dreadfully real because He dreadfully took your sin nature and mine, dying, to put an end to those who had no way of being reconciled to God the Father unless the Son paid the price Himself for our sin, our death, and our separation from the God who loves us more than we love ourselves – He WAS the “sinless One”, yet He took our sins unto Himself, and shed His own blood, and died, that we might have the opportunity of being reconciled to God, God’s Way – through “Jesus Only”!

Do you think this just might be why Paul said in Galatians 6:14, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”? Oh, and how does ‘worldly wisdom’ compare to divine wisdom or do I not even go there? Don’t believe I will – why waste my time and yours when even the worldly know their limited wisdom can’t even compare to His, so even though they may deny His wisdom, they latch their ‘star’ to it and soar to the moon! Right?

It was William Cowper, in his writing, “The Task”, (Bk.111, l.221), who wrote: “God never meant that man should scale the heavens by strides of human wisdom,” but I’ll guarantee you that man aligning himself with God’s wisdom, as yet, we haven’t seen how high and how far a man can really go as he, they, we ‘lean not to our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him’, or give Him His rightful place in our lives, minds, and hearts as “Lord, Savior, and Master” of our lives!

For the man who intellectualizes the world for his own purposes and plans apart from being yielded to the eternal, divine, ‘mind-of-God’ intention, is a secularist intent on shutting out God in Christ from His redemptive, blood-bought purpose! The ‘man of the world’, with no paramount love, faith, and trust in Holy God, is a ‘substitute’, ‘bench-warmer’ that never really plays God’s intended ‘game of life and faith’, but sits, missing out on the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ! It was, yes, Robert E. Lee, in a “Letter to his Wife”, who wrote: “What a glorious world Almighty God has given us! How thankless and ungrateful we are, and how we labor to mar His gifts.”

Marred gifts? Does that ring a bell in your mind and heart? In Jeremiah 18:1-10, rather than simply a kingdom like Israel, think of the kingdom of YOUR own heart, family, your nation, your world! It says: The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into ANOTHER VESSEL, as it seemed good to the potter to make. THEN the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, (O house of the Fishers, O house of Ft.Worth, Bedford, Dallas, Texas, or my growing up city of Cleveland, Tennessee), can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it, if it does evil in My sight so that IT DOES NOT OBEY MY VOICE, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.”

Benefitted or blasted by the, yes, judgment of God? Blessed or ‘pulled down further’ to the reaches of Hell itself? Built up in faith by God’s glory, power, and mercy or assigned your self-willed bondage under Satan’s domination? Truly, I do not believe or even think that the majority of unbelievers knows what awaits a godless existence in eternity – if they did, there would be an about-face from Hell’s gates to outstretched arms and hands reaching out for God’s mercy, but even then, it could be too late!

In Oswald Chambers’ “My Utmost For His Highest”, (p.56), Chambers wrote so wisely: “I have to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (And he’s already taught that cleansing is through the Lamb’s Blood alone!) until both are in agreement with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I insubordinate in intellect? Am I forming the mind of Christ, Who never spoke from His right to Himself, but maintained an inner watchfulness whereby He continually submitted His spirit to His Father? I have the responsibility of keeping my spirit in agreement with His Spirit, and by degrees Jesus lifts me up to where He lived – in perfect consecration to His Father’s will, paying no attention to any other thing. Am I perfecting this type of holiness in the fear of God? Is God getting His way with me, and are other people beginning to see God in my life more and more?” What a challenge to every ‘professing believer’!

“Calvary the Cross – Calvary the Call!” Do you know what Jeremiah 7:13 says? God spoke then, He speaks now! “I called, but you did not answer.” In fact, the content is, “I called over and over and over, but you refused to answer My calling to YOU!” But “Calvary the Call”? In 1 Corinthians 9:16 Paul said: ‘For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” Necessity laid, yes, upon every believer? Without a doubt! In the old “Broadman Hymnal” is a song, I’m afraid, many of my Baptist friends never really understood or sang. It’s entitled, “The Kingdom Is Coming.” (of course, if any believed it, to them it was a future event in the “last days”, not in the “here and now”! It says:

“From all the dark places Of earth’s heathen races, O see how the thick shadows fly! The voice of salvation Awakes every nation, Come over and help us, they cry.

The sunlight is glancing Over armies advancing, To conquer the kingdoms of sin; Our Lord shall possess them, His presence shall bless them, His beauty shall enter them in.

With shouting and singing, And jubilant ringing, Their arms of rebellion cast down; At last every nation The Lord of salvation Their King and Redeemer shall crown!

The kingdom is coming, [jff: And IT CAME!! King Jesus Reigns NOW!], O tell you the story, God’s banner exalted shall be! The earth shall be full of His knowledge and glory, As waters that cover the sea.” AND IT DOES, CONTINUES TO BE, AND FOREVER WILL BE!!! Amen?

By J.Farrell Fisher, August 10-12, 2017

It was John Greenleaf Whittier who wrote: “In simple trust like theirs who heard beside the Syrian sea the gracious calling of the Lord, Let us, like them, without a word Rise up and follow Him.” Have YOU risen up out of spiritual death to follow Christ, being willing and obedient to whatever the Lord and Savior tells you to do? In Luke 6:46 the Lord Jesus spoke to a large gathering who had been following Him, saying to them, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do the things which I say?”

In Luke 6:47-49 we read Christ Jesus’s further unveiling of false and true disciples! He said: “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

How would you define the distinguishing trait of true ‘religious’ faith? “ Well, in Jesus I’m set free from the penalty of my sin – and, thank God, He continues to forgive me as I continue to sin.” Really? And one feels that way when Jesus clearly said to His new disciples, “Go, and sin no more”?

It was Henri Frederic Amiel who wrote: “The distinguishing mark of religion is not so much liberty as obedience, and its value is measured by the sacrifices which it can extract from the individual.” Is ‘a sacrifice’ “the taking of the sentence of death daily to my old man so that day by day I might walk in victory over the old sin nature that was crucified with Christ?”

What did the beloved John write in 1 John 3:9? “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” That will go over well for those who believe Christians can’t stop sinning until they get to heaven in the “sweet by and by”, RIGHT? WRONG!

Here’s how Oswald Chambers addressed it in his book, “My Utmost For His Highest.” “Do I seek to stop sinning or have I stopped sinning? To be born of God means that I have the supernatural power of God to stop sinning. In the Bible it is never – Should a Christian sin? The Bible puts it emphatically – “A Christian must not sin.” The effective working of the new birth life in us is that we do not commit sin, not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have stopped sinning. I John 3:9 does not mean that we “cannot” sin; it means that is we obey the life of God in us, we “need not” sin.”

Without a doubt, if one is interested in determining “Kingdom of God rule”, the evidence is one of a “new birth” relationship to Holy God, a “new gift of Holy Spirit presence within”, and, yes, willing to walk in the Biblical revelation that one, through the blood and Indwelling Life of Christ, takes the sentence of death to himself/herself daily that the Resurrection Life may be manifested in mortal flesh – and His Eternal Life is void of the sin nature or the desire to sin! Does Christ Jesus LIVE within YOU as His earthly “Temple Presence” where “sin” has been washed away through His shed blood and you’ve chosen to, yes, die daily to your old sin nature?

In Psalm 16:7-9 David wrote: “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord ALWAYS before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.” Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” And, to me, I don’t see the ‘dying’ as ultimate physical death, but that daily sentencing of the death of the old sin-nature that Christ’s Resurrection Presence have ‘holy ground in and through me washed in the blood of the Lamb,’ unveiling His awesome victory at the Cross over sin and Satan!

And, certainly, this without a doubt is why Paul wrote in Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (trusting, adhering to, relying upon), that you MAY ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.” And when it comes to “joy and peace” in the life of true believers, notice what the Lord Jesus said in John 15:10-11! Jesus said:

“IF you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (HOW MANY “JOYFUL CHRISTIANS” DO YOU REALLY KNOW TODAY?). Are YOU abounding in hope over your sin and sin-nature?

Is it possible that in modern-day churches that there are those who teach “Great blessings in Christ” but oppose loving obedience to Him as unattainable and unnecessary, describing it as “salvation by works”, when obedience is a reality of having been saved, not to be saved or born again? There IS a ‘closed door to God’s abiding presence’ if one determines for himself, “Obedience to God’s every command is not expected but is simply uninformed stupidity!” And a lot of folks stand on that foundation-less frame of reference to “knowing God”!

What was Paul speaking about when in 2 Corinthians 6:12 he wrote: “O Corinthians! You are not restricted by us (the apostles), but you are restricted by your own affections,” stating further in Verses 14-16, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial (the ‘wicked’ or ‘ungodly’)? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.”

As “the temple of the living God” are we thus declared free from sin’s penalty if we willfully choose to “sin as I please because Jesus understands my nature?”, even though He crucified sin and its nature in Himself on the Cross? What did Samuel tell us in 1 Samuel 15:22-23? “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For REBELLION is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” I know Samuel was speaking to Saul, but I also know the Word declares repentant believers “kings and priests”.

Therefore, take notice, “kings and priests”! Willful sin and disobedience will be faced with two doors! One, being true repentance and a forsaking of sin with a wide-opened door into His Abiding Presence, or Two, willful sin and disobedience without repentance facing God’s “door-closing” to you into His Presence and a cancelation of your Royal Ambassadorship! And that’s serious!

Consider! Is “fleshly ambition” idolatry if one omits Holy God’s eternal intention for that life? It was Thomas Southerne in his writing “The Loyal Brother” who said: “Ambition is our idol on whose wings Great minds are carried only to extremes; to be sublimely great, or to be nothing.” But ‘ambition’ is not evil when one desires to be fully available in honoring one’s Lord and Savior in his/her chosen occupation or lifestyle or relationships! ‘Greatness’ without God ends empty – ambition without God breeds sublime ‘nothingness’!

In Luke 12:41-46 is a sharp, awakening, convicting story Jesus interpreted for Peter AND US about “faithful servants” or “Unfaithful servants! Get ready! Get geared up! Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, do you speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” And the Lord said: Verses 42-46, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. BUT if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, AND WILL CUT HIM IN TWO AND APPOINT HIM HIS PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS.”

Does what I’ve just read from the lips of Jesus ring the bell of remembrance with Jeremiah 34:17-20? Therefore THUS SAYS THE LORD: “You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you, says the Lord – to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. And I will give the men who transgressed My covenant, who have not [performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it – the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people who passed between the parts of the calf – I will give them into the hands of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth.”

Does that sound serious to you about those who do not walk in submission and obedience to every Word of the Lord’s declaration to His followers who are called to be servants to their Master, Lord, and Savior? Is “partial obedience” to King Jesus a satisfying response for you OR are you permanently committed to a permanent separation from the world, the flesh, and to Satan, and a “Lord, what would You have me to do?” He tells you in His Word – AND YOU DO IT WITHOUT HESITATION!

Isaiah 1:9-20 is one of the most helpful, hopeful, holy Word of Scripture anywhere, anytime, for anyone hungry for more than his/her flesh has been able to produce, even at their “flesh-inspired, gut-level best”! It says: “Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah; [That’s the high priests of Israel’s ‘religious faith’, the kings and priests, and regular attenders in the sanctuary!]; To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” says the Lord.

“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies – I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. IF you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Are you fully aware of the amazing grace of our Lord when one truly repents, takes the sentence of death to his old sin nature daily, receives the anointing and abiding of the Holy Spirit, and, yes, feeds on the bread, milk, and meat of the Word daily, willfully following Christ Jesus in “offering Himself without spot to God”, then seeing God “cleansing your conscience from dead works to serve the living God”? Are you ‘dying daily’ to the old sin-natured man, yes, “permanent separation” from what you once were TO TODAY HONORING CHRIST JESUS IN THE “NEW MAN” WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND COMMISSIONED AS HIS ROYAL AMBASSADORS IN OUR NEEDY WORLD?

“Partial obedience” can result in permanent separation from God, but I pray you clearly understand that after one’s disaster of “Partial Obedience”, and because he/she receives the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that the ‘forgiven sinner’ can turn to permanent separation from ‘partial obedience’ to a fully surrendered, Christ-honoring life!!

“DEATH? THE DOOR TO HELL’S WORST OR

THE DOOR TO GOD’S ETERNAL GOODNESS?”

IT WAS AN ANONYMOUS WRITER THAT YEARS AND YEARS AGO WROTE THE FOLLOWING: “SOME DAY THE BELL WILL SOUND, SOME DAY MY HEART WILL BOUND, AS WITH A SHOUT THAT SCHOOL IS OUT AND LESSONS DONE, I HOMEWARD RUN.” WHEN I READ THAT COMMENT, I HAD TO ASK, “HOMEWARD BOUND TO WHERE? TO ‘NO-MAN’S LAND’?” TO SOME FLESHLY DREAM-WORLD, AFTER LIFE IS OVER THAT ONE ENVISIONS FOR HIMSELF, OR TO AN UNCERTAIN DESTINATION, OR THE CERTAIN DESTINATION OF A GRAVE-SIGHT, AND THERE IS NO MORE”?

ANOTHER STATEMENT I READ ONCE SOMEWHERE, WRITING DOWN ONLY THE WORDS, BUT WHAT I READ STIRRED SOMETHING IN MY HEART AND MIND TO TRULY EXAMINE ‘DEATH’S REALITY’! THOSE WORDS? “SOME DIE WITHOUT HAVING REALLY LIVED, WHILE OTHERS CONTINUE TO LIVE, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE DIED.”

GODLESS LIVING,WHETHER THE DECEPTION OF AN ATHEISTIC MIND OR THE DESIRE AND MIND AND HEART OF SELF-WILL, SELF-PLEASURE, AND SELF-GOVERNING,LIKE PSALM 14 THAT DAVID SANG ABOUT: “THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART, ‘THERE IS NO GOD’. THEY ARE CORRUPT, THEY HAVE DONE ABOMINABLE WORKS, THERE IS NONE THAT DOES GOOD, (WHICH I’M SURE IS GOD’S ANOINTING OF DAVID IN EXPOSING THE FUTILITY OF ‘SELF-DETERMINATION’, ASSERTING, “WHO NEEDS GOD?”) CONTINUING DAVID SANG:

THE LORD LOOKED DOWN FROM HEAVEN UPON THE CHILDREN OF MEN, TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY THAT DID UNDERSTAND, AND SEEK GOD. (BUT),VERSE 3, “THEY ARE ALL GONE ASIDE, THEY ARE ALL TOGETHER BECOME FILTHY: THERE IS NONE THAT DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE. VERSE 4, HAVE ALL THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY NO KNOWLEDGE? WHO EAT UP MY PEOPLE AS THEY EAT BREAD, AND CALL NOT UPON THE LORD?”

NOTICE THAT DAVID SANG PUBLICLY, ANOINTED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, SAYING, “WORKERS OF INIQUITY WITH NO KNOWLEDGE”? WHAT DOES PAUL DECLARE, ALSO ANOINTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHEN IN ROMANS 3:23, HE SAID, “FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.” SIN, THE SIN-NATURE, SIN, THE DEVILISH DECEIT OF SATAN HIMSELF, SIN, THE BIRTHING IN GODLESS HEARTS OF ALIENATION AND SEPARATION FROM HOLY GOD, SIN, THE CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT OF SELF-WILL, SELF-PLEASURE, SELF-DETERMINATION “WITHOUT GOD’S INTERFERENCE IN MY SELF-SERVING LIFE”, HUMANITY’S ‘DEATH-NAIL’; AND THOUGH HUMANITY LIVES ON PHYSICALLY ALIVE BUT SPIRITUALLY DEAD, “GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD”, HE DESIGNED ONE’S DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH THROUGH THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS, THE SACRIFICIAL “LAMB OF GOD”!

AND DEATH, SPIRITUAL DEATH,HOW DID PAUL EXPLAIN THIS IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21? “FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINS US; BECAUSE WE THUS JUDGE, THAT IF ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEN WERE ALL DEAD: AND THAT HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THEY WHICH LIVE “SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO “HIM” WHICH DIED FOR THEM, AND ROSE AGAIN”.

WHETHER HENCEFORTH KNOW WE NO MAN AFTER THE FLESH: YES, THOUGH WE HAVE KNOWN CHRIST AFTER THE FLESH, YET NOW HENCEFORTH KNOW WE HIM NO MORE. THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; AND THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW. AND ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, WHO HAS RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF BY JESUS CHRIST, AND HAS GIVEN TO US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION;

TO WIT, THAT GOD WAS IN CHRIST, RECONCILING THE WORLD UNTO HIMSELF, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES UNTO THEM; AND HAS COMMITTED UNTO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION. NOW THEN WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, AS THOUGH GOD DID BESEECH YOU BY US: WE PRAY YOU IN CHRIST’S STEAD, BE YOU RECONCILED TO GOD. FOR HE HAS MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN, THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN HIM.”

ARE YOU AWARE OF THAT? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? EXAMINE CAREFULLY 1 JOHN 3:7-10! HOLY GOD’S WORD SAYS, (THOUGH ‘MODERN-DAY’, ‘ILL-INFORMED’ DISCIPLES FOOLISHLY SAY:”WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING BUT SIN UNTIL WE GET TO HEAVEN?” PHONY-BOLOGNA!), “LITTLE CHILDREN, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: HE THAT DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS IS RIGHTEOUS, EVEN AS CHRIST IS RIGHTEOUS. HE THAT COMMITS (PRESENT TENSE) SIN IS OF THE DEVIL; FOR THE DEVIL SINNED FROM THE BEGINNING. FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD DOES NOT COMMIT SIN (PRESENT TENSE GREEK, “COMMITS-AND-KEEPS-ON-COMMITTING SIN” AS A ‘WAY OF LIFE’!”); FOR GOD’S SEED REMAINS IN HIM: AND HE CANNOT SIN, BECAUSE HE/SHE IS BORN OF GOD. IN THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST (UNVEILED), AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL; WHOSOEVER DOES NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVES NOT HIS BROTHER.”

“DEATH? THE DOOR TO HELL’S WORST AS ONE LIVES IN SELF-SATISFACTION THAT THE SIN-NATURE REMAINS, EVEN AS A BELIEVER,(“ENJOY IT”!), “OR”, AS PAUL EDUCATES US IN 2 CORINTHIANS 1:8-12, “FOR WE WOULD NOT, BRETHREN, HAVE YOU IGNORANT OF OUR TROUBLE WHICH CAME TO US IN ASIA, THAT WE WERE PRESSED OUT OF MEASURE, ABOVE STRENGTH, INSOMUCH THAT WE DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE: “BUT” WE HAD ‘THE SENTENCE OF DEATH IN OURSELVES (DAILY)’, THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES, BUT IN GOD, WHO RAISES THE DEAD: WHO DELIVERED US FROM SO GREAT A DEATH, AND STILL DELIVERS; IN WHOM WE TRUST THAT HE WILL YET DELIVER US; YOU ALSO HELPING TOGETHER BY PRAYER FOR US, THAT FOR THE GIFT BESTOWED UPON US BY THE MEANS OF MANY PERSONS THANKS MAY BE GIVEN BY MANY ON OUR BEHALF.

FOR OUR REJOICING IS THIS, THE TESTIMONY OF OUR CONSCIENCE, THAT IN SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY, NOT WITH FLESHLY WISDOM, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE HAVE HAD OUR CONVERSATION IN THE WORLD, AND MORE ABUNDANTLY TO YOU.”

‘DEATH’ IN YOUR PRESENT LIFE NOW AS A BELIEVER? 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 DECLARES, “FOR GOD HAS MADE JESUS TO BE SIN FOR US, CHRIST WHO KNEW NO SIN (IN HIMSELF), THAT WE MIGHT (THROUGH HIS DEATH, RESURRECTION AND REIGNING PRESENCE WITHIN YOU) BE (BEING) MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM!”

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH”? IN 2 PETER 3:9-11, SAYS, “THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME MEN COUNT SLACKNESS; BUT IS LONGSUFFERING TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.

BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT; IN THE WHICH THE HEAVENS SHALL PASS AWAY WITH A GREAT NOISE, AND THE ELEMENTS SHALL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT, THE EARTH ALSO AND THE WORKS THAT ARE THEREIN SHALL BE BURNED UP. SEEING THEN THAT ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE DISSOLVED, WHAT MANNER OF PERSONS OUGHT YOU TO BE IN ALL HOLY CONVERSATION AND GODLINESS”

OH! DON’T FORGET 2 PETER 2 VERSES 19 & 22!. “WHILE THEY PROMISE THEM LIBERTY, THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION; FOR OF WHOM A MAN IS OVERCOME, OF THE SAME IS HE BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE. VERSE 22,BUT IT IS HAPPENED UNTO THEM ACCORDING TO THE TRUE PROVERB, ‘THE DOG IS TURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT AGAIN; AND THE SOW THAT WAS WASHED TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MIRE.”

ARE THERE ‘DISCIPLES’ TODAY WHO,AT TIMES, BETRAY THE LORD WITHIN, AND WILLFULLY CHOOSE TO PLAY AGAIN IN THEIR ‘POOLS OF SIN-VOMIT’? THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE, AND IN THEIR CHILDISH STATE OF FAITH STILL, AT TIMES, WILL INDULGE IN THE ‘DIRT’ OF GODLESSNESS, YES, DECEIVED BY THE DEMONS, THE WORLD, AND THEIR OLD SIN-NATURE!

DO YOU AS A BELIEVER NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE DIVINE, HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU IS THERE, NOT TO EXTINGUISH YOUR “NEW LIFE IN CHRIST”, BUT TO INTERCEDE IN YOU TO “TAKE THE SENTENCE OF DEATH DAILY TO YOUR OLD SIN-NATURE, YOUR OLD LIFE THAT THE RESURRECTION LIFE OF CHRIST MAY BE CONTINUALLY MANIFESTED IN YOUR MORTAL FLESH?

IN “THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS QUOTATIONS”, (BY EDITOR, FRANK S. MEAD, PUBLISHED BY FLEMING H. REVELL COM., WESTWOOD, NEW JERSEY),ARE WORDS WRITTEN BY EDMUND VANCE COOKE ENTITLED “HOW DID YOU DIE?”, SAYING, “DEATH COMES WITH A CRAWL, OR COMES WITH A POUNCE. AND WHETHER HE’S SLOW OR SPRY, IT ISN’T THE FACT THAT YOU’RE DEAD COUNTS, BUT ONLY, HOW DID YOU DIE?”

“HOW WILL YOU DIE?”UNAWARE OF ETERNAL REALITIES-FLESH OR SPIRIT, HELL OR HEAVEN, SATAN’S WELCOME OR KING JESUS WITH OPEN ARMS?

I MUST SHARE THIS MESSAGE FROM ROMANS 8:1-14!! PAUL SAID: “THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, ‘WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH (OR OLD SIN-NATURE!)’, BUT AFTER THE HOLY SPIRIT. FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE ‘IN CHRIST JESUS’ HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.

FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO, IN THAT IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH, GOD SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, AND FOR SIN, CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH: THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT.

FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER FLESH (CELEBRATING THEIR OLD SIN-NATURES!) DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE FLESH; BUT THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE SPIRIT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. FOR TO BE CARNALLY (FLESHLY) MINDED IS DEATH; BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE AND PEACE. BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD: FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE. SO THAT THEY THAT ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT PLEASE GOD.

BUT YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLESH, BUT IN THE SPIRIT, IF SO BE IT THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU. NOW IF ANY MAN DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS. AND IF CHRIST BE IN YOU, THE BODY IS DEAD BECAUSE OF SIN; BUT THE SPIRIT IS LIFE BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. VERSES 11-15 FOLLOW, HEAR IT!!

BUT IF THE SPIRIT OF HIM THAT RAISED UP JESUS FROM THE DEAD DWELLS IN YOU, HE THAT RAISED UP CHRICT FROM THE DEAD SHALL ALSO QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES BY HIS SPIRIT THAT DWELLS IN YOU. THEREFORE, BRETHREN,WE ARE DEBTORS, NOT TO THE FLESH (OR YOUR OLD SIN-NATURE!), TO LIVE FOR IT.

FOR IF YOU LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YOU SHALL DIE; BUT IF YOU THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY THE DEEDS OF THE BODY, YOU SHALL LIVE. FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD. FOR YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR; BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION, WHEREBY WE CRY, ‘ABBA,FATHER’.”

I CLOSE WITH HYMN WORDS WRITTEN BY ISAAC WATTS THAT SAYS: “ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED? AND DID MY SOVEREIGN DIE? WOULD HE DEVOTE THAT SACRED HEAD FOR SUCH A WORM AS I?

WAS IT FOR CRIMES THAT I HAD DONE THAT HE GROANED UPON THE TREE? AMAZING PITY! GRACE UNKNOWN! AND LOVE BEYOND DEGREE!

WELL MIGHT THE SUN IN DARKNESS HIDE, AND SHUT HIS GLORIES IN, WHEN CHRIST, THE MIGHTY MAKER DIED FOR MAN THE CREATURE’S SIN.

BUT DROPS OF GRIEF CAN NEVER REPAY THE DEBT OF LOVE I OWE; HERE, LORD, I GIVE MYSELF AWAY, IT’S ALL THAT I CAN DO.”

DO YOU ACCEPT, LIVE IN, AND SHARE WITH OTHERS OUR LORD’S VICTORY OVER THEIR SIN AND DEATH IN ORDER TO “SET THE CAPTIVES FREE”? IN ISAIAH 12:2-3 THE PROPHET SAID: “BEHOLD, GOD IS MY SALVATION; I WILL TRUST HIM, AND NOT BE AFRAID; FOR THE LORD JEHOVAH IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG; HE HAS BECOME MY SALVATION. THEREFORE WITH JOY SHALL YOU DRAW WATER OUT OF THE WELLS OF SALVATION”. HAVE YOU “TRUSTED THE LORD”?

VERSES 4-6 FOLLOW SAYING, “AND IN THAT DAY SHALL YOU SAY, (IS THAT SAYING TO OTHERS AROUND YOU?), PRAISE THE LORD, CALL UPON HIS NAME, DECLARE HIS DOINGS AMONG THE PEOPLE, MAKE MENTION THAT HIS NAME IS EXALTED.SING UNTO THE LORD; FOR HE HAS DONE EXCELLENT THINGS; THIS IS KNOWN IN ALL THE EARTH. CRY OUT AND SHOUT, YOU INHABITANTS OF ZION; FOR GREAT IS THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL THAT IS IN YOUR MIDST.” – CAN YOU SAY,RIGHT NOW: “I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE WHO BELIEVES.” BUT HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE IF THEY NEVER HEARD, AND IF YOU AS CHRIST’S SERVANT AND ASSIGNED MESSENGER NEVER SHARE THE GOOD NEWS? DO YOU SEE THAT YOU “IN CHRIST” ARE A DEBTOR TO THE LOST WORLD AROUND YOU AND THAT WHAT YOU HOLD AND POSSESS OUT OF GOD’S LOVE, WAS GIVEN FREELY TO YOU TO JOYFULLY SHARE WITH OTHERS? “RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD!BE DONE WITH THE FOOLISH”!

BY:J.FARRELL FISHER, MAY 18-19,2019

IN JUDE 3-4 (BARCLAY’S TRANSLATION) WE READ: “FOR CERTAIN MEN HAVE WORMED THEIR WAY INTO THE CHURCH – LONG BEFORE THIS THEY WERE DESIGNATED FOR JUDGMENT – IMPIOUS CREATURES THEY ARE – WHO TWIST THE GRACE OF GOD INTO A JUSTIFICATION OF BLATANT IMMORALITY, & WHO DENY OUR ONLY MASTER & LORD, JESUS CHRIST.”

HUMANITY WORLDWIDE IS EITHER LIVING UNDER THE DARK CLOUD OF PERVERTED GRACE, OR LIVING IN THE “LIGHT” OF GOD’S PERFECTING GRACE! THEY HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A ‘TWISTED GRACE’ THAT LEADS TO HELL OR THE “TRUTHFUL GRACE” THAT LEADS TO HEAVENLY LIVING WHETHER ON EARTH OR IN ONE’S AFTER-LIFE “IN CHRIST”!

MUCH OF ‘FALLEN HUMANITY’ HAS BEEN DECEIVED BY ‘CHEAP GRACE’ OR ENLIGHTENED & EMPOWERED BY COSTLY GRACE! ONE EITHER WALKS IN DANGER TODAY WITH A TRIFLING GRACE OR HE/SHE WALKS IN CONFIDENCE & ASSURANCE WITH THE TREASURES OF SCRIPTURAL GRACE BECAUSE HE/SHE LEFT ALL TO FOLLOW JESUS!

PERVERTED GRACE ALLOWS COMPROMISE IN A ‘SO-CALLED CHRISTIAN’ (?) TO MAINTAIN HIS FLESHLY, SINFUL, LUSTFUL, ‘DO-YOUR-OWN-THING’ LIFESTYLE BECAUSE UNDER THE “GRACE”, THEIR ‘FLESHLY GREASE’,THAT THEY ‘LOVE’ (?), THEY WALK RELIGIOUSLY BLINDED TO GOD’S PERFECTING GRACE ! BE ASSURED! THERE ARE THOSE WHO “TURN THE GRACE OF GOD INTO THEIR FLESHLY LICIENTIOUSNESS!”

IN HEBREWS 12:14-17 WE FIND CONVICTING & ENLIGHTENING WORDS!! “FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, & HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD; LOOKING DILIGENTLY LEST ANY MAN FALL SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLES YOU, & THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED;

LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR, OR PROFANE PERSON, AS ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF MEAT SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT. FOR YOU KNOW HOW THAT AFTERWARD, WHEN HE WOULD HAVE INHERITED THE BLESSING, HE WAS REJECTED: FOR HE FOUND NO PLACE OF REPENTANCE, THOUGH HE SOUGHT IT CAREFULLY WITH TEARS.” HE CAME SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD? OH! AND THEN EXAMINE HEBREWS 10:29!! “OF HOW MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT, SUPPOSE YOU, SHALL HE BE THOUGHT WORTHY, WHO HAS TRODDEN UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD, & HAS COUNTED THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHEREWITH HE WAS SANCTIFIED(OR ‘SET APART’), AN UNHOLY THING, & HAS DONE DESPITE TO THE SPIRIT OF GRACE?”

“PERVERTED GRACE OR PERFECTING GRACE”? IN ROMANS 6:12-18 WE HEAR GLORIOUS HALLELUJAH TRUTHS! PAUL WROTE: “LET NOT SIN THEREFORE REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY IT IN THE LUSTS THEREOF. NEITHER YIELD YOU YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO SIN, BUT YIELD YOURSELVES UNTO GOD, AS THOSE THAT ARE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD, & YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO GOD.

FOR SIN SHALL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU: FOR YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE. WHAT THEN? SHALL WE SIN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE? GOD FORBID. KNOW YOU NOT THAT TO WHOM YOU YIELD YOURSELVES SERVANTS TO OBEY, HIS SERVANTS YOU ARE TO WHOM YOU OBEY; WHETHER OF SIN UNTO DEATH, OR OF “OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS”? BUT GOD BE THANKED, THAT YOU “WERE” SERVANTS OF SIN, BUT YOU HAVE OBEYED FROM THE HEART THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE WHICH WAS DELIVERED YOU. BEING THEN MADE FREE FROM SIN, YOU BECAME THE SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

“PERVERTED GRACE OR PERFECTING GRACE?”

FIRST:PERFECTING GRACE IS THE GRACE THAT UNVEILS THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST & BRINGS MOURNING! IN ZECHARIAH 12:10 WE READ: “AND I WILL POUR UPON THE HOUSE OF DAVID, & UPON THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM, THE SPIRIT OF GRACE & OF SUPPLICATIONS; & THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, & THEY SHALL MOURN FOR HIM, AS ONE MOURNS FOR HIS ONLY SON, & SHALL BE IN BITTERNESS FOR HIM, AS ONE THAT IS IN BITTERNESS FOR HIS FIRSTBORN.” DID YOU SEE ‘THE SPIRIT OF BITTERNESS’ OVER THE CRUCIFIED ONE WHOM FALLEN MANKIND ALL CONSENTED TO?

IN EPHESIANS 2:4-8 PAUL WROTE: “BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY,FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS, HAS QUICKENED US TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, (BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED;), AND HAS RAISED US UP TOGETHER, & MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST: THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE “EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE” IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED THROUGH FAITH; & THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.” GLORY!

IF YOU DIDN’T QUITE FULLY UNDERSTAND THOSE SCRIPTURES, EXAMINE HEBREWS 2:9-11 PLUS VERSES 14-15!! HEBREWS 2:9-11, “BUT WE SEE JESUS, WHO WAS MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH, CROWNED WITH GLORY & HONOR, TO MAKE THE CAPTAIN OF THEIR SALVATION PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS. FOR BOTH HE THAT SANCTIFIES AND THEY WHO ARE SANCTIFIED ARE ALL OF ONE: FOR WHICH CAUSE HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL US BROTHERS.

NOW!! HEBREWS 2:14-15! “FORASMUCH THEN AS THE CHILDREN ARE PARTAKERS OF FLESH & BLOOD, HE ALSO HIMSELF LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME; THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL; AND DELIVER THEM WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE.” PERFECTING GRACE? THE GRACE THAT FREES ONE FROM ITS SINFUL SELF? THE GRACE THAT BREAKS THE BONDS OF SATANIC BONDAGE? THE GRACE THAT DECLARES ONE COMPLETE IN CHRIST LACKING NOTHING? THE GRACE THAT RECONCILES US UNTO GOD?

SECOND, PERFECTING GRACE IS SAVING GRACE THAT BRINGS FORGIVENESS OF SINS & BONDAGE TO THE SIN-NATURE! EPHESIANS 1:7-8 “CLEARLY SAYS”: “IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH “CHRIST’S BLOOD” THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE; WHEREIN HE HAS ABOUNDED TOWARD US IN ALL WISDOM & PRUDENCE.”

DARE “YOU” TO CONSIDER “THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE” THAT ABUNDANTLY FLOURISHES IN “THE FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS”? LUKE 1:77 DESCRIBES IT FROM GOD’S LOVING MIND, HEART, & SPIRIT AS FOLLOWS: “TO GIVE TO HIS PEOPLE THE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION “BY” THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS”! CHRIST JESUS, ON THE CROSS, BOTH FORGAVE OUR SINS & FREELY GAVE TO ALL FALLEN MANKIND “THE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION”!!

1 PETER 2:2 DECLARES, “AND CHRIST JESUS IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS: &NOT FOR OUR’S ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD”! YET, “FORGIVEN OF THEIR SINS” DOESN’T MEAN “RECONCILED “TO” GOD” WITHOUT TRUE REPENTANCE & EARNEST FAITH IN HIS “FINISHED WORK”! (DON’T YOU FIND IT HEART-BREAKING TO KNOW, THOUGH ‘FORGIVEN’, THERE ARE THOSE WHO MISS OUT ON THEIR ETERNAL HEAVENLY HOME TO ‘DOWN-GRADE’ TO HELL, TO SATAN, TO HIS DEMON FORCES, &, YES, EVEN ‘BELIEVERS’ WHO COULDN’T, WOULDN’T, DIDN’T REPENT & “REST” IN CHRIST’S SHED BLOOD & HIS RESURRECTION PRESENCE?!!?

IN 1 TIMOTHY 4:10 PAUL WROTE: “FOR THEREFORE WE BOTH LABOR & SUFFER REPROACH, BECAUSE WE TRUST IN THE LIVING GOD, WHO “IS” THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN, SPECIALLY OF THOSE THAT BELIEVE (OR “TRUST”,OR “RELIES UPON”!!).

THIRD,PERFECTING GRACE IS INSTRUCTING GRACE THAT CALLS GOD’S TRUE SONS TO “HOLY LIVING”! IN TITUS 2:10B,-15, PAUL SAID, “…THAT THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR IN ALL THINGS. FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION HAS APPEARED TO ALL MEN, TEACHING US THAT, DENYING UNGODLINESS & WORLDLY LUSTS, WE SHOULD LIVE SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, & GODLY, IN THIS PRESENT WORLD,

VERSES 13-15 SAYING, LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE,& THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT GOD & OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST; WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, & PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE,ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS. THESE THINGS SPEAK, & EXHORT, & REBUKE WITH ALL AUTHORITY. LET NO MAN DESPISE YOU.”

“HOLY LIVING”? HEBREWS 12:14 SAYS, “FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, & HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD.” IN 1 THESSALONIANS 4:7 PAUL EXPLAINED: “FOR GOD HAS NOT CALLED US UNTO UNCLEANNESS, BUT UNTO HOLINESS.” YET, HOW MANY HAVE YOU KNOWN IN “THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY” (?) WHO,YES, “PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST”? (GALATIANS 1:6-7)!

FOURTH,PERFECTING GRACE IS REVEALED CLEARLY IN THE LABOR OF LOVE THAT CAUSES & CHALLENGES MEN TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR OTHERS!! IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:8-20 THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE, INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, “AND LAST OF ALL,HE WAS SEEN OF ME ALSO, AS OF ONE BORN OUT OF DUE TIME.

FOR I AM THE LEAST OF THE APOSTLES, THAT AM NOT MEET TO BE CALLED AN APOSTLE, BECAUSE I PERSECUTED THE CHURCH OF GOD.BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM: & HIS GRACE WHICH WAS BESTOWED UPON ME WAS NOT IN VAIN; BUT I LABORED MORE ABUNDANTLY THAN THEY ALL: YET NOT I, BUT THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH WAS WITH ME.

THEREFORE WHETHER IT WERE I OR THEY, SO WE PREACH, & SO YOU BELIEVED.NOW IF CHRIST BE PREACHED THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, HOW SAY SOME AMONG YOU THAT THERE IS NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD? BUT IF THERE BE NO RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, THEN IS CHRIST NOT RISEN; AND IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN, THEN IS OUR PREACHING IN VAIN, & YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN. YES, & WE ARE FOUND FALSE WITNESSES OF GOD; BECAUSE WE HAVE TESTIFIED OF GOD THAT HE RAISED UP CHRIST; WHOM HE RAISED NOT UP, IF SO BE THAT THE DEAD RISE NOT.

FOR IF THE DEAD RISE NOT, THEN IS NOT CHRIST RAISED: & IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS VAIN; & YOU ARE YET IN YOUR SINS.THEN THEY ALSO WHICH ARE FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST ARE PERISHED. IF IN THIS LIFE ONLY WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE OF ALL MEN MOST MISERABLE. BUT “NOW” IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD, & BECOME THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM THAT SLEPT.”

AND “RAISED FROM THE DEAD” SPIRITUALLY, TO “NEW LIFE IN CHRIST”,AS JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US, DOES THAT MEAN, “THANK GOD I’M SAVED”, BUT YOU HAVE NO CONCERN FOR OTHERS WHO NEED TO KNOW, MUST KNOW, WILL KNOW, BECAUSE “YOU” ARE HIS PRESENT WITNESS OF AMAZING GRACE & MERCY & LOVE? IN EPHESIANS 2:8-10 PAUL ALSO WROTE, “FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED THROUGH FAITH; & THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS,WHICH GOD HAS BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”

HIS WORKMANSHIP? HIS NEW CREATIONS THAT ARE CREATED FOR & ORDAINED BY GOD TO BE HIS WITNESSES OF “REDEEMED IN & THROUGH & BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD,” CHRIST JESUS, GOD’S WILLING SACRIFICE, TO RECONCILE US UNTO HIMSELF?

AND “REDEEMED”, WE’RE NOT CALLED TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES IN REACHING OTHERS WITH THE “GOOD NEWS”? ACTS 4:33 SAYS, “AND WITH GREAT POWER GAVE THE APOSTLES WITNESS OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS; & GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL.” (OH, HOW WE NEED TO SEE AGAIN THE CHURCH , THE DISCIPLES, BEARING WITNESS TO “SAVING GRACE”!

FIFTH, PERFECTING GRACE IS “COMMITMENT” TO UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITY OF GRACE FOR EVERYONE! ACTS 11:18-23 TELLS US, “WHEN THEY HEARD THESE THINGS, THEY HELD THEIR PEACE, & GLORIFIED GOD, SAYING, THEN HAS GOD ALSO TO THE GENTILES GRANTED REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE."NOW” THEY WHICH WERE SCATTERED ABROAD UPON THE PERSECUTION THAT AROSE ABOUT STEPHEN TRAVELLED AS FAR AS PNENICE & CYPRUS, & ANTIOCH, PREACHING THE WORD TO NONE BUT UNTO THE JEWS ONLY.

AND SOME OF THEM WERE MEN OFCYPRUS&CYRENE, WHICH, WHEN THEY WERE COME TO ANTIOCH, SPOKE UNTO THE GRECIANS, PREACHING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS WITH THEM; & A GREAT NUMBER BELIEVED, & TURNED TO THE LORD. THEN TIDINGS OF THESE THINGS CAME UNTO THE EARS OF THE CHURCH WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM; & THEY SENT FORTH BARNABAS, THAT HE SHOULD GO AS FAR AS ANTIOCH. WHO, WHEN HE CAME, & HAD SEEN THE GRACE OF GOD, WAS GLAD, & EXHORTED THEM ALL, THAT WITH PURPOSE OF HEART THEY WOULD CLEAVE UNTO THE LORD.”

SIXTH, PERFECTING GRACE IS GRACE THAT GIVES WARNING & THE CALL TO JUDGMENT! ACTS 13:37-43 TELLS US, “BUT HE, WHOM GOD RAISED AGAIN, SAW NO CORRUPTION.BE IT KNOWN UNTO YOU THEREFORE, MEN & BRETHREN, THAT THROUGH THIS MAN IS PREACHED UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS: & BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE (OR TRUSTS HIS WORD!)ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS, FROM WHICH YOU COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW OF MOSES. BEWARE THEREFORE, LEST THAT COME UPON YOU, WHICH IS SPOKEN OF IN THE PROPHETS; BEHOLD, YOU DESPISERS (OR SCOFFERS!), AND WONDER, & PERISH:FOR I WORK A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU SHALL IN NO WISE BELIEVE, THOUGH A MAN DECLARE IT TO YOU.

AND WHEN THE JEWS WERE GONE OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE, THE GENTILES BESOUGHT THAT THESE WORDS MIGHT BE PREACHED TO THEM THE NEXT SABBATH.NOW WHEN THE CONGREGATION WAS BROKEN UP, MANY OF THE JEWS & RELIGIOUS PROSELYTES FOLLOWED PAUL & BARNABAS: WHO, SPEAKING TO THEM, PERSUADED THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.” “WARNING &A CALL TO JUDGMENT? ARE “YOU” READY FOR YOUR CALL?

SEVENTH,PERFECTING GRACE IS GRACE THAT LEAVES US THE REMNANT OF ENCOURAGEMENT! IN EZRA 9:8 WE READ, “AND NOW FOR A LITTLE SPACE GRACE HAS BEEN SHOWN FROM THE LORD OUR GOD, TO LEAVE US A REMNANT TO ESCAPE, & TO GIVE US A NAIL IN HIS HOLY PLACE, THAT OUR GOD MAY LIGHTEN OUR EYES, & GIVE US A LITTLE REVIVING IN OUR BONDAGE.”

DO “YOU” KNOW ABOUT WHAT “A LITTLE GRACE” MEANS FOR YOU IN YOUR TIME OF ‘TROUBLE’? TO SAY THAT BELIEVERS NEVER FACE TRIALS IS TO LIVE WITH A MIND BLINDED TO “LIFE’S REALITIES” OF A TRUE BELIEVER LIVING IN OPPOSITION TO THE WORLD, THE FLESH, OR TO SATAN & HIS DEMON-HOARDES, WHO ARE NOT PLEASED WITH “SOLD-OUT, UNAFRAID, SPIRITUALLY IGNITED SONS & DAUGHTERS OF GOD LIVING AS SERVANTS UNTO THEIR LORD & SAVIOR”!

EIGHTH, PERFECTING GRACE IS GRACE THAT SAYS WHAT CHRIST JESUS SAYS!! IN PSALM 45:2 PARAPHRASED SAYS: “YOU, LORD JESUS, ARE FAIRER THAN THE CHILDREN OF MEN: GRACE IS POURED INTO YOUR LIPS; THEREFORE GOD HAS BLESSED YOU FOREVER & EVER!” AND CHRIST JESUS POURS HIS GRACE ALL OVER EVERY TRUE BELIEVER TO GUARD US, GIRD US, GRIP US,GIVE US, & GLADLY GLORIFY US JUST AS HE IS!!

IN COLOSSIANS 4:6 WE READ, “LET YOUR SPEECH BE ALWAYS WITH GRACE, SEASONED WITH SALT, THAT YOU MAY KNOW HOW YOU OUGHT TO ANSWER EVERY MAN.”

NINTH, PERFECTING GRACE IS REIGNING GRACE! HOW “GIFTING” IS THE WORD OF GOD’S GRACE! IN ROMANS 5:15b-21 WE READ OF “GRACE”, NOT GREASE! “FOR IF THROUGH THE OFFENSE OF ONE MANY BE DEAD, MUCH MORE THE GRACE OF GOD,& THE GIFT BY GRACE, WHICH IS BY ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST,HAS ABOUNDED UNTO MANY. AND NOT AS IT WAS BY ONE THAT SINNED,SO IS THE GIFT: FOR THE JUDGMENT WAS BY ONE TO CONDEMNATION, BUT THE FREE GIFT IS OF MANY OFFENCES UNTO JUSTIFICATION.(“JUST-AS-IF-I’D-NEVER SINNED!!”).

FOR IF BY ONE MAN’S OFFENCE DEATH REIGNED BY ONE; MUCH MORE THEY WHICH RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE & OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL REIGN IN LIFE BY ONE, JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE AS BY THE OFFENCE OF ONE JUDGMENT CAME UPON ALL MEN TO CONDEMNATION, EVEN SO BY THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE THE FREE GIFT CAME UPON ALL MEN UNTO JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE.FOR AS BY ONE MAN’S DISOBEDIENCE (ADAM) MANY WERE MADE SINNERS, SO BY THE OBEDIENCE OF ONE SHALL MANY BE MADE RIGHTEOUS. MOREOVER THE LAW ENTERED, THAT THE OFFENCE MIGHT ABOUND. BUT WHERE SIN ABOUNDED, GRACE DID MUCH MORE ABOUND: THAT AS SIN HAS REIGNED UNTO DEATH, EVEN SO MIGHT GRACE REIGN THROUGH RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE BY JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.”

ARE “YOU” ON “SHOUTING GROUNDS” YET TO HONOR KING JESUS WHO WILLINGLY TOOK OUR PLACE ON THE CROSS THAT WE MIGHT TRULY BE BLESSED, GIVING US THE FREE GIFT OF FAITH & TRUST IN HIS WORK AT CALVARY, BECAUSE WHEN HE DIED THERE, HE CARRIED YOUR SINFUL NATURE WITH HIM THAT YOU MIGHT WILLINGLY & LOVINGLY YIELD TO THE RESURRECTED CHRIST WHO IS THE KING OF GLORY, DESIROUS OF YOUR REDEEMED LIFE BY HIS BLOOD BECOMING HIS “EARTHLY RESIDENCE” WHERE HE CONTINUES TO BE HIMSELF THROUGH YOU TO YOUR NEEDY WORLD! JESUS WANTS TO “REIGN” IN YOU & THROUGH YOU!

TENTH, PERFECTING GRACE “IS” GIFTING GRACE!! EPHESIANS 4:7-8 TELLS US, “BUT UNTO EVERY ONE OF US (THOSE “IN CHRIST”!) IS GIVEN GRACE ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE GIFT OF CHRIST. WHEREFORE HE SAYS, WHEN HE ASCENDED UP ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE, & GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN.”

WHAT’S YOUR GIFT IF YOU TRULY ARE “IN CHRIST”? I SLOW DOWN WITH REVELATION 22:22! IT SAYS: (SPEAKING OF THE “NEW JERUSALEM”!), AND I SAW NO TEMPLE THEREIN; FOR THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY & THE LAMB ARE THE TEMPLE OF IT.” IN THE OLD “BROADMAN HYMNAL” FROM THE BROADMAN PRESS IN NASHVILLE, TENN., (COPYRIGHTED BY BROADMAN IN 1940,P.284), IS A HYMN THAT SAYS: “IT’S SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS, JUST TO TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD; JUST TO REST UPON HIS PROMISE, JUST TO KNOW “THUS SAYS THE LORD.”

O HOW SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS, JUST TO TRUST HIS CLEANSING BLOOD; JUST IN SIMPLE FAITH TO PLUNGE ME ‘NEATH THE HEALING, CLEANSING FLOOD!

YES, IT’S SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS, JUST FROM SIN & SELF TO CEASE; JUST FROM JESUS SIMPLY TAKING LIFE & REST, AND JOY & PEACE.

I’M SO GLAD I LEARNED TO TRUST YOU, PRECIOUS JESUS, SAVIOR & FRIEND; AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE WITH ME, & WILL BE WITH ME TO THE END.

JESUS, JESUS, HOW I TRUST HIM, HOW I’VE PROVED HIM O’ER & O’ER; JESUS, JESUS, PRECIOUS JESUS! O FOR GRACE TO TRUST YOU MORE!” AMEN?

BY:J.FARRELL FISHER,APRIL 28-29

THE AMAZING “CREATION OF GOD” OF BOTH THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD,PLANETS,STARS,PLUS BIRTHING OF FLESHLY HUMANITY WITH “FREE WILL” TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO SERVE GOD OR NOT, IS TRULY, BOTH SAD AND GLAD – SAD, BECAUSE SOME “FREE-WILL MEN AND WOMEN” CHOSE THE PATH OF “ME, MY, AND MIND” RATHER THAN THE PERFECT, PERFECTING, PRECIOUS PRIVILEGE OF THE WINSOMENESS, THE WILL, THE “WORD”, AND THE WAYS OF HOLY GOD!

FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURE, IN CHOOSING SELF-WILL FOR SELF-PLEASURE, (FROM A NATURAL MIND AND NATURAL HEART!), WERE “BIRTHED”- ‘BRAIN-DEAD’, ‘FLESH-DEFILED’,‘HEART-DARKENED’,AND WILLFULLY ‘DELIRIOUS’, WITH THE ENEMY OF MANKIND, SATAN, ‘DEMONSTRABLY ACTIVE’ IN ‘DECEIVING MANKIND’, SAYING, “IF YOU SIN, DISOBEY, OR DEFY GOD, YOU WON’T DIE”, WHILE THE SPIRIT OF HOLY GOD SPEAKS TO YOU, CONVICTS YOU, SAYING, IN JOSHUA 24:15,“AND IF IT SEEMS EVIL UNTO YOU TO SERVE THE LORD,CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE; WHETHER THE ‘gods’ WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED,OR THE ‘gods of self-willed peoples’, IN WHOSE LAND YOU DWELL;BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.” (AND THE REWARD ‘of self-willed peoples’? ROMANS 6:23, “FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH” –NATURALLY & ETERNALLY, IF THERE’S NO REPENTANCE, BELIEF, TRUST, & YIELDEDNESS TO THE KING OF KINGS & LORD OF LORDS!).

NATURAL MANKIND BIRTHS NATURAL CHILDREN, AND WHETHER NATURAL MANKIND OR NATURAL CHILDREN, BOTH MUST KNOW TRUE REPENTANCE BEFORE HOLY GOD, AND FULLY AWARE THAT REPENTANCE WITH TRUE BIBLICAL FAITH, GIVES BIRTH WITHIN TO PURE HEARTS WASHED CLEAN BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, AND THEN THE ETERNAL BLESSING OF HIS PRESENCE, (CHRIST JESUS!), ENTERING THEIR HEARTS, MAKING THE HEART THE TABERNACLE OF HIS ETERNAL DWELLING, HIS ABIDING,EARTHLY RESIDENCE,AND,YES,THE “THRONE” BEING YOUR HEART AND LIFE THROUGH WHICH YOU ALLOW KING JESUS TO AGAIN GRANT EARTHLY PRESENCE, SOVEREIGN RULE, AND MERCIFUL OUTREACH TO YOU & THROUGH YOU TO OTHERS WHO NEED “BLOOD REDEMPTION” & “RECONCILIATION” WITH HOLY GOD, THEIR, YES, LOVING FATHER! AND UPON CONVERSION, FROM THAT DEATH FORWARD, ALL BELIEVERS ARE TO BE HIS “WITNESSING ARMY” TO SHARE “HIS TRUTH OF THE REALITY OF NEW BIRTH” TO ANY EARTHLY RESIDENT AROUND YOU!

(BUT THE SAD TRUTH? MOST CHURCHES AND PREACHERS AROUND YOU ARE ‘DEVOTED TO GOOD SUNDAY MORNING CLASSES & MESSAGES’ WITHOUT A PENNY’S WORTH OF CONCERN OR COMPASSION FOR THE LOST CITIZENS LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY OR NATIONS THAT SURROUND THEIR BORDERS, OR NATIONS OVERSEAS!)

MY GREATEST CONCERN TODAY, JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE MY 83^RD BIRTHDAY ON JUNE 12, 2019? THAT TOO MANY CHURCHES, TOO MANY PASTORS, TOO MANY MEMBERS, TOO MANY DENOMINATIONAL LEADERS, ARE GROWING “SO FAT” ON CHRISTIAN NEWS OF SATISFIED ‘TO BE CHURCH MEMBERS’, THAT THEY WILLFULLY BLIND THEMSELVES OF BEING TOOLS IN GOD’S HANDS TO EXTEND HIS KINGDOM, EXPRESS HIS LOVE, OR PROVE HIS POWER!

THE PSALMIST,KING DAVID, IN PSALM 8:4-9, WROTE: “WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU, GOD, ARE MINDFUL OF HIM?AND THE SON OF MAN,(KING JESUS), THAT YOU VISIT HIM? BUT YOU BIRTHED “HIM” A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, AND HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR.YOU,GOD, MADE HIM (CHRIST JESUS!) TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; YOU PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET:ALL SHEEP AND OXEN,YES,AND THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD; THE FOWL OF THE AIR, AND THE FISH OF THE SEA, AND WHATSOEVER PASSES THROUGH THE PATHS OF THE SEAS. O LORD OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS YOUR NAME IN ALL THE EARTH.”

‘FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURE?’ ‘FALLEN HUMANITY’S SIRITUAL BLINDNESS? FALLEN HUMANITY’S SHAME OF SELF-WILL OR SELF-GOVERNMENT? FALLEN HUMANITY’S HARDNESS OF HEART BECAUSE OF THE DECEITFULNESS OF SIN?FALLEN HUMANITY’S STUPIDITY IN BOWING TO THE FOREFATHERS WHO SOUGHT ONLY TO BE SELF-RELIANT AS THEIR OWN SELF-INSTITUED ‘master’, ‘ruler,’ and ‘savior’ lifestyle and explanation of ‘good living’ rather than “GOD-BIRTHED, GOD-BLESSED, GOD-ANOINTED LIFE-IN-CHRIST JESUS”?

ACROSS THE ‘CHRISTIAN WORLD’,YES, WORLDWIDE, MY GREATEST CONCERN TODAY FOR THE DAYS BEFORE US? DAYS THAT SHOULD BE DAYS THROUGH US WHICH GOD THE FATHER USES TO EXTEND HIS KINGDOM, EXPRESS HIS LOVE, AND PROVE HIS POWER, BUT,”SADLY” MUCH OF ‘PROFESSING CHRISTIANITY, PROFESSING CHURCHES, PROFESSING LEADERS’, LIVE UNDER, SERVE UNDER, PLAN UNDER, PROVIDE UNDER, PERFORM UNDER, ‘RELIGIOUS PLANS’ RATHER THAN “HOLY-SPIRIT-POWER AND ANOINTING AND INSPIRING” THE, YES, SPIRITUAL PLANTING, TENDING, AND HARVESTING OF THE FRUIT OF MEN’S LOST, SEPARATED SOULS, TO BECOME SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF TRUE FAITH EXPERIENCING DIVINE, DRAMATIC CONVERSIONS THAT SIT TO EAT AROUND HIS TABLE (HIS HOLY WORD!), AND SERVE IN HIS FIELDS FOR NEEDY, SIN-SICK, SATAN-DELUDED SOULS”!

FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURES? LOOKING IN, THEY ONLY SEE THE NATURAL, THE EARTHLY, THE FLESHLY, THE ‘LESS OF WHAT THEY ‘WANT’ AND NOT WHAT LOVING GOD PLANNED’, THE SHALLOWNESS OF WHAT ‘SIN-NATURE’ WANTS AND NOT THE “DEEP WATERS” OF GOD’S GRACE, MERCY, AND LOVE, THE ‘SOULISH’ SATISFACTION OF ‘SELF-INDULGENCE’ THAT DROWNS THEM IN THE SHALLOW WATERS OF FLESHLY INDULGENCES, WORLDLY,WILD PLEASURES, AND SATANIC & DEMONIC, HELL-BOUND SCHEMES AND ‘WILD DREAMS’!

FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURES? “CROWN ‘YOU’ (ME,US- THE ONLY ONES WHO NEED TO REIGN!” “BE ‘FALLEN WORLD’S PARTNER’ UNITING WITH WHATEVER BLINDS YOU SPIRITUALLY WHEN YOU WALK ‘HERE’! BE ‘NOBLE’ IN THE WORLD “YOU” CHOOSE; AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNEEL BEFORE A ‘god’ TO SUCCEED–you’re your own man!”

FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURES? “SATISFIED WITH SOULISH LIVING, SATISFIED WITH SELF-WILL, SATISFIED WITH EARTHLY,MAN-INSPIRED EDUCATION APART FROM HOLY GOD’S INSPIRATION,SATISFIED IN THIS FLESH-LIFE AND MY SELF-INDEPENDENT-DETERMINATION TO MAKE IT HERE WITHOUT ‘YOUR GOD’S HELP’; ‘I, MY PERSONAL, MY ‘GLORIFED’,STOIC SELF, DO NOT NEED YOUR SAVIOR!”THAT’S LIKE A STATEMENT I READ SIMILAR OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN IN “THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS QUOTATIONS”,(P.396, PUBLISHED BY FLEMING H.REVELL COMPANY, WESTWOOD,NJ),THAT SAID: “GOD HELPS THOSE THAT HELP THEMSELVES.” A THOUSAND TIMES, “NO!” GOD HELPS THOSE FINISHED WITH THEMSELVES, BECAUSE THE “OLD MAN” CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST ON THE CROSS, IS NOT TO HAVE EVEN A FRACTION OF AN INCH IN THEM OF “TRYING” TO BE SAVED, BUT, YES, “RESTING IN CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK ON THE TOMB OF THE HISTORIC CROSS, AND THOUGH DEAD IN A TOMB THREE DAYS, GOD RAISED HIM!”

AND GOD “RAISES YOU” IF YOU REPENT! GOD “RAISES YOU” IF YOU ‘REST’! GOD “RAISES” YOU WHEN YOU’RE FINISHED WITH YOUR OLD MAN AND OLD NATURE AND SATANIC DECEPTION! FINISHED IF YOU’RE “FINISHED” WITH MAN-INSPIRED DREAMS AND VISIONS, AND “READY” FOR THE CHRIST IN YOU TO CONTINUE HIS ETERNAL EARTH-JOURNEY TO TOUCH OTHERS WITH HIS PROMISES AND HIS ETERNAL WORK BY HIS PRESENCE IN YOUR HEART & LIFE LITERALLY!! “CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY”!!!!****

HAVE “YOU” CLOSED THE DOOR ON FALLEN HUMANITY’S FLESHLY DREAMS AND “RESTED” IN “THE FAITHFULNESS OF COMPASSIONATE GOD?”

I CHALLENGE YOU THIS VERY MOMENT AS YOU READ: “REST IN”, “WILLFULLY RELAX”, “WISELY REPENT”, AND IN “HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTED HEART, MIND, AND WILL OF GOD”, WHY NOT, YES, SIMPLY “TRUST AND OBEY”? IN JAMES 1 THE BROTHER OF JESUS WAS INSPIRED TO WRITE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, VERSE 18, (GET READY! DON’T BE DECEIVED!!), “OF HIS OWN WILL GOD BIRTHED US WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH…”, WITH SIMON PETER TELLING US IN 1 PETER 1:2-5, “ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, ( PAUSE! DID IT SAY: “FOREKNOWLEDGE”? YOU MEAN BEFORE HUMANITY EVER EXISTED, GOD KNEW WHO, HOW MANY, HE THEN “YES”, SOVEREIGNLY CHOSE THEM TO BE HIS HEAVENLY FAMILY OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS THROUGH THEIR GIFT OF FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST AT CALVARY AND THROUGH HIS EMPTY-TOMB RESURRECTION, HIS ASCENSION, AND HIS HEAVENLY REIGN! BEFORE CREATION GOD THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT CHOSE THE “FAMILY OF FAITH” AND SAW TO IT THAT THEY WERE, ARE, AND WILL BE “BORN AGAIN”, ADOPTED INTO THE HOLY FAMILY, HAVING BEEN “RECONCILED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS AND HIS RESURRECTION, ASCENDING TO THE RIGHT HAND THRONE OF GOD TO WATCH AFTER GOD’S PRE-ORDAINED, ETERNALLY PROGRAMED SPIRITUAL BIRTHS, AND AFTER A LIFE OF EARTHLY SERVICE, UPON THEIR SPIRITUAL DEATHS, HE “CALLS THEM HOME” TO THE THRONE-ROOM, WHERE AT THE THRONE THEY’RE WELCOMED BY KING JESUS, AND, YES, GIVES ALL SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF “BORN-AGAIN FAITH” TO BE HIS FOOTWASHERS, SERVANTS, TABERNACLE-TENDERS, CHOIR SINGERS – A BLESSED, ETERNAL, THRILLED FAMILY OF NEVER-DYING, NEVER-ENDING MINISTRY TO THE “LORD OF GLORY”!

OH, BACK TO 1 PETER 1, VERSE 2A, “ELECT…”, BUT NOTICE ALSO 2B, THERE’S “SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT) UNTO OBEDIENCE, AND SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST”..FOR GRACE THROUGH YOU TO BE MULTIPLIED!!”

Verse 3 EXPLAINS: “BLESSED BE THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHICH ACCORDING TO HIS ABUNDANT MERCY HAS BEGOTTEN US AGAIN UNTO A LIVING HOPE BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, VERSE 4, TO AN INHERITANCE, INCORRUPTIBLE, AND UNDEFILED, AND THAT FADES NOT AWAY, RESERVED IN HEAVEN FOR YOU, VERSE 5,‘WHO ARE KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD THROUGH FAITH (OR TRUST) UNTO SALVATION, READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST DAYS.”

IF CHRIST JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS RIGHT BEFORE HE DIED: “IT IS FINISHED!”, I TELL YOU, SUMMED UP IN THE STATEMENT OF JESUS IS THE DETERMINATION OF THE ‘WHO’ WILL BE SAVED, AND THE GUARANTEE THAT HIS WORK “FOR THEM” IS OVER! ON THE CROSS, BEFORE, IN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY, BEFORE MANKIND WAS EVER CREATED, JESUS KNEW WHO, WHERE, AND WHEN THEY’D BE BORN, THEN RE-BIRTHED SPIRITUALLY THROUGH HIS MERCY AND LOVE, SERVED HIM FAITHFULLY, AND THEN, UPON EARTHLY DEATH, READY TO BE RAISED CELEBRATING HIM AND HIS ETERNAL “KINGDOM OF GOD REIGN” IN HEAVEN AS HE DID ON EARTH!

“THE FAITHFULNESS OF COMPASSIONATE GOD?” THAT’S WHO GOD IS;THAT’S WHAT FLOWS IN YOU AND AROUND YOU; IT’S WHAT “HE DOES” IN CHOOSING YOU, AND IN CALLING YOU, AND IN CONVERTING YOU, AND COMPASSIONATELY INDWELLING YOU; AND BECAUSE YOU RESPOND TO HIS PRESENCE, YOU CHOOSE DAILY TO YOUR ‘OLD MAN’, YOUR ‘OLD SIN-NATURE’, DEATH TO IT & YOURSELF, THAT THE RESURRECTION LIFE AND SPIRIT OF CHRIST MAY HIMSELF FLOW FREELY, FULLY, AND FAITHFULLY THROUGH YOU DAILY! & YOU LIVE SINGING:

“EVERY DAY I LIVE IN HIS GLORY, EVERY DAY I SHARE HIS STORY: ‘GOD REDEEMS BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB’, NEW CREATIONS REJOICE AS A CHOIR, LOUDLY SINGING: ‘IT’S IN ME CHRIST JESUS’ HOUR; PURCHASED BY HIS BLOOD, RE-BORN IN HIS FLOOD, A REPENTANT MEN NOW SHARES HIS LIFE & HIS MISSION, FULLY FORGIVEN, AMAZINGLY ASSURED: CHRIST MY SAVIOR IS NOW MY LORD”.

WALK IN OBEDIENCE YOUR LORD TO PLEASE, KNOWING LIFE IN HIM IS NO LONGER YOUR DISEASE, BUT A LIFE OF PEACE FREED FROM DISTRESS, BECAUSE IN JESUS YOU SHARE IN HIS ETERNAL REST; NO LONGER SHAMED IN SIN AND UNBELIEF, BY FAITH IN CHRIST’S SACRIFICE, I’VE BECOME HIS DELIGHT! “CHRIST IN ME MY HOPE OF GLORY, CHRIST THROUGH ME MY WORLD’S REDEMPTION STORY. POWERED BY THE SPIRIT AND AWAKENED TO MEN’S “LOST”, I GLADLY SHARE JESUS AT ANY COST.

IN CHRIST OUR “NEW LIFE” GLOWS, AND FREED IN THE SPIRIT GOD’S WORD NOW FLOWS! IT’S THE SEED OF HIS WORD PRODUCING FRUIT, EVEN “NEW-BORN LIVES” AS HIS GREAT DELIGHT! FROM THE GRAVE OF SIN AND DEATH, FROM THE LIES OF RICHES IN ‘FLESH’S WEALTH’, THE TRUTH OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE FULLY ABIDE, AS A REPENTANT HEART FAITHS ONLY: “I WANT TO BE ON GOD’S SIDE!”

SO I DIE TO MY SIN, I REST IN HIS GRACE, AND AMAZINGLY SEE, “I’M NOW PART OF HEAVEN’S RACE, EXTENDING HIS LIFE, EXPRESSING HIS LOVE, UNVEILING HIS PRESENCE, I’M LIKE A HEAVENLY DOVE!” I REJOICE IN MY SAVIOR, I REST IN HIS LOVE; I’VE BEEN RAISED UP, SEATED ABOVE! ABOVE SIN AND DEATH, I GLOW IN HIS GLORY, AS LOVINGLY I SHARE REDEMPTION’S STORY; “I AM HIS, AND HE IS MINE, AND IN HIS ABIDING I SHINE.”

IN MATTHEW 16:24 JESUS SAID: “IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME!” ARE “YOU” FOLLOWING? ARE “YOU” SHARING REDEMPTION’S STORY? DOES YOUR LIFE “GLOW” WITH HEAVEN’S GLORY? I TELL YOU: “SELF-DENIAL” TO SHARE GOD’S GLORY IS NOT AN INCLINATION BUT THE “REVELATION” AND INSPIRATION OF DISCIPLESHIP DUTY, OVERFLOWING FROM THE REALITY OF CRUCIFIXION WITH CHRIST TO THE REVELATION OF RESURRECTION LIFE IN CHRIST, RAISED UP, IN-FILLED, AND OVERFLOWING WITH HIS HOLY PRESENCE TO BE HIMSELF, TOUCHING MEN AROUND YOU WITH HIS “GREATER LOVE”, HIS “HEAVENLY GLORY”, AND A “NEW LIFE” WILLING TO SHARE HIS STORY! ARE YOU “NEW IN CHRIST WITH THE GREATER LOVE WHICH SHARES HIS STORY”? THAT’S HEAVEN’S LOVE FOR LOST MEN’S EARTHLY NOTHINGNESS THAT HONORS GOD IN THEM, EXCEPT “CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, BURIED IN HIS TOMB, BUT RAISED IN 3 DAYS IN ETERNAL GLORY”! IS THAT “YOUR STORY”?

FALLEN HUMANITY’S FAILURE OR “THE FAITHFULNESS OF COMPASSIONATE GOD?”

FARRELL FISHER

“Some read the Bible and gain an accumulation of information without a relational experience of Oneness with the God who wrote it.” FF

FOREWARD

After my major heart attack April 28, 2013, I knew our Lord wanted me to write – and I did. In just a brief period of recuperation, I began to write a book entitled “Resignation to Hopelessness” which really is a book about our eternal hope. But presently there is a “hopeless spirit” that is like a dark cloud heavy over our nation, the USA.

And I am firmly convinced what God did for me after my heart attack that He can do for our nation! Didn’t He say in II Chronicles 7:14 that if His people called upon Him, humbling themselves and praying, that He would forgive their sins and heal their land?

There’s a biblical command in Isaiah 60:1-3 which says to “us”: “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will rise over YOU, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

And since God is no respecter of persons or nations, will He not rise upon us if we humbly call upon Him? Oh, yes, HE WILL! One truth I’ve learned and allowed to be deeply imbedded on my heart and mind is that God is not interested in our ‘abilities’, if we have any, but God is interested in our availability to ALL HE IS!!

So…let’s not be “crushed” but truly converted, and in on what God is up to! Didn’t Jesus say, “Ask, and you will receive, seek, and you will find, knock, and it shall be opened to you?” Let’s do that together as we examine some of life’s greatest questions!

OUTLINE

QUESTIONS THAT CRUSH OR CONVERT

CHAPTER ONE: “YOUR STRENGTH OR GOD’S ABLENESS?”

CHAPTER TWO: “FALSE FREEDOM OR DIVINELY VALIDATED LIBERTY?”

CHAPTER THREE: “MAN DIES! DOES HE LIVE AGAIN?”

CHAPTER FOUR: “LIFE AS A VAPOR? WHERE’S ITS SIGNIFICANCE?”

CHAPTER FIVE: “IS THERE WISDOM IN ‘WAITING ON GOD’?”

CHAPTER SIX: “IS IT COMMONPLACE TO BE DECEIVED?”

CHAPTER SEVEN: “IS THE GOAL OF CHRISTLINESS UNATTAINABLE?”

CHAPTER EIGHT: “IS IT SELF-MADE TOWERS OR HIS DIVINE HOLY PRESENCE?”

CHAPTER NINE: “FISHING FOR MEN OR A FATALISTIC MIND-CLOSURE TO MEN?”

CHAPTER TEN: “IS CONTINUAL SIN ‘OK’ FOR A NEW OR TRUE BELIEVER?”

CHAPTER ELEVEN: “IS ‘ALL STRESSED OUT’ THE EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE?”

CHAPTER TWELVE: “IS ‘SALT’ AND ‘LIGHT’ THE REDEEMED ONE’S TRUE CALLING AND MISSION?”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: “ARE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS BOUND OR BLESSED BY OLD TESTAMENT LAW?”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: “ARE TEENAGERS, YOUTH,UNMARRIED YOUNG ADULTS FREE FOR ROMANTIC SLEEPOVERS?”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: “HOW WILL YOU PLEAD?”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: “WHEN GOD SPEAKS?”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: “THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD?”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: “THE GOD OF THE PEOPLE?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN: “THE PEOPLE OF GOD?”

CHAPTER TWENTY: “ENTER HIS GATES?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: “THE WAYS OF GOD?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: “WHERE ARE ALL HIS MIRACLES?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: “IS THERE IN YOU PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: “WHERE’S THE GRIEF?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: “WHY GLORY IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: “THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE OT THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: “ON WHAT DO YOU MAJOR?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: “SAD DEFECTIONS OR SURE ELECTIONS?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: “IS THERE DANGER IN WILDERNESS WANDERINGS BECOMING PERMANENT?

CHAPTER ONE

“YOUR STRENGTH OR GOD’S ABLENESS?”

IF “Christ in you” IS “the hope of glory”, then why are there far too many ‘professing’ followers who attempt devotion as disciples in their own strength (?), which is nothing more than wilting weakness?” One’s personal determination to honor Christ in the best effort of flesh-living is setting aside Jesus in them to a ‘closet-residence’ and they are void of ALL HE IS!

If we know that Holy God made Jesus to be sin for us…that we might be made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), then why assert your impotence to please God when Christ stamped us through His shed blood as 100% as righteous as He is?

This is why in I Corinthians 1:30-31 Paul wrote: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Oswald Chambers put it like this: [“My Utmost For His Highest,” p.149], “Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests it in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.”

If, according to 2 Peter 1:4 we are “partakers of the divine nature,” then why reach into “the old man” and fail to “rest” in Him and all He is? Some are so deceived in their fleshly pride that participation in their spiritual journey is indulgence only in “the luxury of misery” and they miss out on the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ – and they do pay a high price in counterfeit devotion and discipline with no honoring of Christ alone.

Your weakness or God’s ableness? ‘Fleshly energy’ related to divine living is a blurring of the very Life and Presence of Christ! This is why in Romans 5:10 Paul wrote: “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

It is not natural tendencies that honor our Lord but the supernatural triumph of His death, His burial, and His Resurrection Life that raised us up out of the pit of our own destruction to the throne of being seated with Christ in the heavenly place right now! This is why in 2 Corinthians 2:14 Paul said, “Now thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.”

But until one hears the Gospel Truth, is convicted by the Holy Spirit, and then receives “the gift of repentance” from God Himself, men wander and don’t know the wonder of His grace, mercy, and love, so they measure themselves by the themselves; oh, they wonder, no doubt, they question, they seek – in the wrong places, with wrong intents – and miss out on the wonderful words of eternal life, eternal mercy, and eternal grace. They miss the Mark set by God Himself.

You’ll remember that Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:15 that “…He [Jesus] died for all, that they who live SHOULD LIVE NO LONGER FOR THEMSELVES, but for Him who died and rose again ON THEIR BEHALF.” And I know you realize that there are those consumed by, controlled by, and diseased by the poisonous passion of living for themselves!

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus spoke of those who saw themselves as very religious but had never been re-born in the Spirit realm: Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who DOES the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cat out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ‘And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness?’”

Do you understand the ‘lawless’ and those who practice ‘lawlessness’? Look at the “Ten Commandments”! Why were they engraved on those tablets? That we might ‘touch’ the tablets, OR, that we might see our lawlessness because to offend in even one point is to be guilty of all. In Galatians 3:24 Paul wrote: “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.” Justification by faith is the only open door into the Holy Presence and oneness with God Almighty!

Man’s self-weakness, even though he may believe he’s the strongest man God ought to accept because of that man’s own estimation of himself, is a self-portrait painted in dark, grotesque, dirty colors, denying God’s judgment that he’s a guilty sinner, short-circuited by continuous sin, alienated from Father-God, spiritually dead though he believes he’s living life in grandeur when in reality he’s bound in a dungeon-cell of personal destruction. The reason? Because if a man is not living for the glory of God alone, he’s bound in the goriness and deceit of a blinded, blackened, broken existence.

If you look at Romans 5 Paul describes those for whom our Lord and Savior died on the Cross:

• Verse 6, “For while we were still helpless (without strength), at the right time Christ died…”
• Verse 6, “…Christ died for the ungodly.”
• Verse 8, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Verse 10, “For if while we were ENEMIES, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…”; and Verse 10 doesn’t end with ‘the death of His Son,’ but with the “much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

Saved by your grit or saved by His grace? Saved by your determination or your dependence on His finished work? Saved by your abilities or saved by your availability to all God tells us? Saved by your efforts or transformed by Emmanuel? If we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Holy God and give an account, on what or whom will you stand with? Your weakness or God’s ableness? Hebrews 9:24-28 says:

“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest ethers the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another – He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

This is why Oswald Chambers wrote: [“My Utmost For His Highest,” p.206], “The disposition of sin is not immorality and wrong-doing, but the disposition of self-realization – ‘I am my own god’ – This disposition may work out in decorous morality or indecorus immorality, but it has the one basis, my claim to my right to myself.”

And do you understand that your claim to your right to yourself is your weakness substituted for God’s Ableness? Your grit, substituted for God’s grace, is vainness in place of the eternal victory of Christ in you and through you! Vainness is empty pride…Victory is Jesus’ eternal celebration. Vainness is a man’s constant pat on his back…Victory is Jesus’ Hallelujah Chorus that never ceases! Vainness is ineffectual effort…Victory is Jesus’ never-ending promise! Vainness is idle boastfulness…Victory is immense blessing out of the very heart of God that never ends!

Your weakness? That’s self-effort with “no wins”! God’s ableness? That’s divine initiative with never a loss! Your weakness? That’s your sin, your guilt, your penalty, your judgment that is not a ‘pretty thing’! God’s Ableness? His love, His power, His anointing, His never-ending provisions, His eternal watch-care, His faithfulness to see you through!

Your weakness? You are a descendant of Adam – hopeless, helpless, hollow – even though you’ve viewed yourself as fellow man’s greatest gift! God’s Ableness? In You? No hopelessness, no helplessness, no hollowness, no imperfections, just His divine clearance, His affirming voice: “This is My Beloved son in whom I am well pleased;” this is My perfect daughter, justified by faith, granted peace with God, and not a closed door ever to His perfect, powerful, promising presence!

Your weakness? Your worldly advantages become your heavenly bankruptcies; your tributes of earthly recognitions and earthly glories are described becoming nothing more of significance than before Holy God to be looked upon as “men of low degree, of mindless thoughts, of eternal emptiness” but, God’s Ableness? I don’t know who wrote it, but he/she said: “Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream, All the fitness He requires is to know your need of Him! This He gives you; it’s the Spirit’s rising beam!”

Is He shining His beams of glory on your life and your walk? Your weakness or God’s Ableness? I want you to think about Paul the Apostle – put yourself in his place momentarily! Your weakness or God’s Ableness? In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 we read: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is perfected [or made perfect] in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Did you see it? Do you accept it? “God’s power perfected in what?” “God’s power ONLY perfected in your weakness!” What did Paul say in Philippians 4:13? “I can do all things through Christ who strengths me.” Do you see a man in his natural state super-empowered by Divine strength? And yet how many have y7ou witnessed who leaned to their own understanding of themselves and did not depend, trust, rely, or wait upon God Himself?

Your weakness? “I can handle this; I am able; I’ve so trained, disciplined, learned for myself – and I can achieve what I want to achieve, overcome what I need to overcome, win whatever war I need to fight!” And when it’s over, you witness a whipped, beat-up puppy dog – the Lion of the Lord is absent! Your weakness? That’s one who lives on wild imaginations but is void of divine inspiration; that’s one who is fleshly motivated and makes his/her own plans – and may see them come to fruition without any inspiration from God or for God’s glory! Intellectually they reason it all out – but spiritually there is no anointing and no glory for God alone!

Would that be your weakness scribbled over the canons of your life as an imprint of your best effort void of the invasion of the anointing of God’s Spirit and God’s power? When “best efforts” replace “blessed anointing” we see defected canvases that win no acknowledgement from God!

I don’t know how I want to say this, but I’ll try: There is truly a golden rule of honoring God and glorifying Christ that comes when a disciple or disciples are empty of self and full of Jesus, empty of pride and pressing in to His fullness, empty of self-effort and full of the anointing, leading, empowering, and illuminating of His true Spirit of light!

It was John Tillotson who wrote: “He who provides for this life, but takes no care for eternity, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever.” Have you witnessed men who build decent reputations through their walks and journeys of life and yet are void of glory and honor and praise of God? It was John Milton, in “Areopagitica,” who wrote: “God sure esteems the growth and completing of one virtuous person, more than the restraint of ten vicious.” But what if virtuousness is for self-glory with no intent of opening the door to the honor and praise of God? Some men are virtuous without any intent of thankfulness or tribute to God! Think about it – now many NFL players play to honor God and the Savior, Jesus Christ? How many businessmen open their doors of businesses or banks or law firms to reveal Jesus? How many medical physicians or nurses do you know who see their professions as opportunities of mirroring Christ?

Slaves to worldly systems or servants of the Lord Jesus Christ? Men of selfish indifference to others or men of selfless involvement to reveal the Savior? Preachers of a professional, stage, performance status or Spirit-anointed messengers of the Most High God? False witnesses or an earthly-revealer of the Indwelling Christ? Meaningless testifiers or the very indwelling Presence and Spirit of Jesus Christ?

Your weakness or God’s Ableness? It was JohannWolfgang von Gothe who wrote: “Epochs of faith, are epochs of fruitfulness; but epochs of unbelief, however glittering, are barren of all permanent good.” Didn’t Jesus say, “By their fruits you shall know them?”

Your weakness or God’s Ableness? Are you truly aware that as God has no confidence in your ‘fleshly’ abilities neither should you? This is why in Philippians 3:3 Paul wrote: “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Paul then in Philippians 3:17-21 wrote: “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies o0f the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glorious in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things to Himself.”

I know you see it! Now, deal with it! “Flesh or Spirit”? Fleshly religious activity and spiritual hindrances or a spiritual presence and spiritual helps that truly bear witness to the Resurrected Christ? Do YOU count all things as loss to gain Christ or does what you hold onto in your fleshly walk determine your journey? Paul said what was his goal? “That I may gain Christ!”

In C.A. Coates’ book “The True Grace of God,” he shared a hymn that says: [p.126], “Yet sure in Your presence My soul still constant were, My eye would more familiar Its brighter glories bear. And thus Your deep perfections Much better should I know, And with adoring fervor In this Your nature grow.” Are you growing? Is it wild berries or ‘true fruit’? Your weakness or is it God’s Ableness? What are you resigned to – or what or Who are you resting in?

Is your spiritual journey continuous efforts at irreparable attempts of making your present life better apart from God’s redemption and reconciliation and regeneration or are you of the variety who says, “God, be merciful to me THE SINNER?”

Is God able to choose a man and make him into the father of many nations? Is God able to sustain, prepare, and then lead His people out of their bondages into His land of promises? Is God able to choose, raise up, or even put down kings and leaders over people and nations? Is God able to shut the lions’ mouths and protect His servants, delivering them even out of the lions’ dens? Can God separate the sea of your suffering and lead you through the parted waters of trouble on dry, safe ground? Can your God heal the sick, raise the dead, shatter your prison walls and set you free?

Has God, will God, does God take wounded sons and daughters, terrorized by godless or faithless dads and/or moms, and raise up true princes and princesses in the Royal Family? Is the God you know, the God you serve, the God you celebrate, the God who makes you more than a conqueror because of His great love; yes, is He the God who takes you out of death into Life Eternal, out of sorrow over your own brokenness into delighting in His healing grace, out of your meaninglessness into His eternal purposes and plans? Is God able to raise you out of man’s religions into His divine relationship?”

Is God able to spiritually take you out of your extreme, painful circumstances of life and sit you on and in His lap for heavenly hugs and holy presence that makes you stand in joy and delight and celebration? Is the God of miracles still present with you in your high mountains of misfortune and disappointment? Is God able to transform your vain glory into our eternal presence of a glory that never fades away?

Has one thing God ever promised you ever failed? In your house of bondage, when God said He’d deliver you out and into His Land, did that never happen? Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

It was Peter who signed his name to his letter in 2 Peter 1:1-4, 10-11, saying: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father o0f our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection o0f Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you…Verses 10-11, Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

What did Paul tell Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:12b, “…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” Then Peter, again, in I Peter 4:19 wrote, “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” What’s that about? In I Peter 4:14 Peter said: “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He (Jesus) is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”

I felt I needed to share these next few poetic words God put on my heart after the “widow-maker” experience with a close call to death! It’s so important that we examine where we truly are in our spiritual journey: “Our Weakness or God’s Ableness”?

“Religions’ face is not divine but is so poorly displayed And rests in sad abandonment of all heavenly aid; Religions’ voices are so extreme in their delight, But cannot lift the heart when fear shatters the night.

Uninformed disciples, so distraught in their gaze, Wonder if it’s at all possible for their mortal hearts to be raised. Misfortune is their loss with no smile in their grief, There is no word of comfort to give any sweet relief.”

Religions’ face? They gaze and gaze and gaze each day, And religions’ vain glories never die away. Emptiness is their song and they wonder, ‘To whom do we belong?’ And because ‘their weakness’ is their scheme, God’s Ableness for them is a blank theme.

Heavy are their nights because God’s Presence is not in their sight. The lions they cannot tame because they never look to God who is the same. They live in the valley of the shadow of death and never know the God who gives LIFE.

Their lives are not temples but tombs of the devils’ prey, because in their hearts no allegiance to Christ holds full sway. Absorbed in self-indulgence, divine power is not in their play, Their hearts are so contaminated because ‘flesh’ holds the day.

Hopeless sighs are not Heaven’s songs, And the love of God is not a truth to which they belong. ‘Religion is self-effort’ they boldly proclaim, as the message of Jesus to them is so lame.

Then, there is that soul, upon its knees, who has a different theme, “God is my rescuer, and upon Him I lean. Jesus is my Savior, of Him I faithfully sing. He washes my sin in His own blood, and carries me faithfully over life’s great flood.”

Holy Presence in me is His eternal theme, and with the angels of Heaven, I faithfully sing. Lord of my life from now and forever, Word of my life that faithfully delivers. Jesus is able my faith to sustain, and upon me His Spirit does faithfully rain.

God is able to lift me up, and faithfully bless me with Heaven’s over-flowing cup. I am His, and He is mine – and upon my life His Sun still shines –

And the Day is soon coming, when at His table, I eternally will dine – because He and His disciples are mutually mine.”

CHAPTER TWO

“FALSE FREEDOM OR DIVINELY VALIDATED LIBERTY?”

In John 8:31-36 Jesus so truly spoke of the true, spiritual, practical, personal, eternal freedom that comes only through Him. His Word says: Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.” Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. I Know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.”

There is no greater word for an enslaved humanity than the word ‘free’! And there is no greater man on earth than that man who spends his whole life on earth providing for or even fighting for or dying for the freedom of others.

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines ‘freedom’ as: “A state of exemption from the power or control of another (maybe Satan?); liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement…”

In Genesis 15:13 God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.” AND THEY WERE ENSLAVED – but there came that day when God divinely intervened and “set the captives free”!

Are you aware that there are those who “settle in” to captivity and think that it’s normal or just divinely intended? I truly believe Paul was joking about the Corinthians when in 2 Corinthians 11:19-20 he wrote: “For you, being so wise, bear with the foolish gladly. For you bear with anyone if he enslaves you, if he devours you, if he takes advantage of you, if he exalts himself, if he hits you in the face.”

Ezekial 34 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. God is up to something good here for all of us who’ve been enslaved in false freedom. He searches for His sheep, He leads them out of bondage to false prophets, He cares for His sheep and delivers them from darkness, from their cloudy and gloomy days, bringing them “out” from a deathly state of life to live in blessing, in security, because “you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men and I am your god,” declares the Lord God.” Oh, how good and great is that?”!!

But then, just as there is, false freedom, we must understand it is promoted by false prophets! Peter calls them “wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” [2 Peter 2:17]. Then in verses 18-22 he exposes their deceptions and their end! “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought out of bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled again in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Sadly, some precious people have been enslaved, ensnared, and entangled in various webs of deceptions – and we can only pray that, out of that web of deception, men can be set ‘free’ by our Lord’s “divinely validated liberty”! “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” And Paul, in Romans 8:21, speaks of that freedom as “the glorious liberty of the children of God”!

Let’s look at ‘false freedom’ first. I’m convinced some are in bondage to the ignorance of their own SPIRITUAL DEATH BEFORE HOLY GOD.

When the Word declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” some ignore or are truly ignorant of the reality that “the wages of sin is death.” If you’ve never been one who reads, studies, or applies the Word of God to your life, you more than likely do not know the war between ‘flesh’ and the Spirit – that’s your old sin nature, the old man, the one not in union with Christ – so Paul tells us in Romans 8:6, “For to be carnally [or fleshly] minded IS DEATH, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Why is that? Because Romans 8:7-8 declares, “Because the carnal (fleshly) mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” That means that those controlled by, dominated by, captured by, devoted to their old sin natures are bound by that until “Christ sets you free”!

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul tells us, “For He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [in Jesus only].” I love Romans 5:10! It says, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

‘False Freedom’? THAT’S CHAINED TO ONE’S HURTS AND PAINS AND ‘GHOSTS” OF ONE’S PAST! Are you aware of hurting individuals who strongly, steadily, and as sure as day follows night, push down, try to bury, and attempt to suffocate their lostness, deadness, doubtfulness about their true identity in the sea of their forgetfulness? There are people who live with 5 days, 5 years, 50 years of pain and heartache and, yes, ‘ghosts’ out of their former days, knowing nothing of “new creations in Christ Jesus”!

You are aware that personal reformation is not divine transformation. Adapting is not being atoned for. Education is not evaporation of the errors (?) in your life that you now endure. Cosmetic covering is not Christ’s conversion of your old self to new Life in Him. When Jesus said ‘You must be born again,’ He said it to a highly religious man of stalwart, religious prominence! But he HAD TO BE BORN AGAIN! And so do we all!

“False Freedom?” THAT’S THE HOME-MADE TIME BOMB OF EXPLOSIVE SELF-REFORM! And it is so prevalent and presumptuous! “I can handle my own life – I don’t need God. That’s for sissies, for the weak-minded, for the sad folks who can’t stand on their own.”

And all around you are so many who will not bow before Truth because they’ve convinced themselves of ‘the Lie’[“I can sin and not die!”] – and they live by ‘self-modification’ and not the “sure mercies of God.”

Are you understanding? Controlled ‘flesh’ does not bring one into a personal relationship with Holy God! Best efforts do not reveal or unveil Blessed Emmanuel! A ‘natural,’ independent, self-ruling man is not free but bound in his weakness, blind to the spiritual, and burdened [though he may not know it] by the heavy load of his GOD-LESS-NESS! Natural values and virtues hinder and bring one to that absolute necessity of “:new birth,” not even knowing Hell’s armies have surrounded them to hold them back from “crucified with Christ,” thus becoming a child of the King.

“False Freedom”? THAT’S ONE WHO “SAYS” HE IS FREE BUT LIVES IN BONDAGE TO HIS CARNAL DESIRES AND HIS INSTINCTIVE, INDULGENT INCLINATIONS! In I Corinthians 3:1-3 Paul spoke of some Corinthian Christians who were behaving like “mere men.” “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”

And “mere men” are those bound to their carnal desires and their instinctive, indulgent inclinations! “Mere men”? “We must increase – Jesus must decrease!” “Mere men”? “We don’t need to ‘perfect holiness’ because we have no fear of God!” “Mere men”? “We live on a common-sense basis and are not goaded by a God you profess to know!” “Mere men”? “We don’t have to be still and we don’t have to know He is God!”

It doesn’t take long to “see” and to “know” where a man’s heart i9s – and if it’s a closed heart to God, you’ll see a man daily grinding at the mill of self-indulgence, smelling worse each moment because of his rotting sensuality, easily angered by any mention of Jesus, and either coming apart at the seams of his life or angered and fighting back because he’s yoked with the devil and the powers of darkness.

That man is not delivered FROM his sin but has been given over TO his sin. The prison cuffs become heavier and heavier – the demonic voices become louder and the demonic traps more frequent and devastating in nature. He’s bound like a Samson by the deceptions of the Delilahs!!

“False Freedom”? THAT’S ONE, YES, BOUND BY THE CHAINS OF RELIGIOUS SUPERSTITIONS AND DEMONIC PHILOSOPHIES! In Galatians 4:8-11 Paul so eloquently and in convicting fashion nailed, yes, some professing disciples who had decided for bondage rather than deliverance! He wrote: “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. But now, after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”

In fact Paul was so bold to the church at Corinth that he wrote them: I Corinthians 8:9-12, “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their conscience, you sin against Christ.”

Plus, in I Corinthians 7:35, he wrote: “And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” But bound by the chains of religious superstitions and demonic philosophies is not true freedom! This is why we read in Colossians 2:6-10, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

“False Freedom”? Dare I say that some false freedom is also the result of POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL BONDAGE BY LEADERS WHOSE INTENT IS TO DECEIVE AND ENSLAVE THE PEOPLE THEY SUPPOSEDLY ARE TO BE SERVING, SETTING FREE, AND WATCHING THEIR GODLY GOVERNANCE OF THEIR LIVES, FAMILIES, AND ETERNAL PURPOSES!?!

“If Jesus sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” And I believe eternal honor is given to those who expend and extend and express their leadership to free others from the chains of civil bondage and governmental imprisonment, seeing men possess, enjoy, and share in their God-given rights: LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF BLESSING – NOT ONLY BEING A USA PRINCIPLE BUT A BIBLICAL STANDARD FOR GOD’S GLORY!

I’ve only given you a sip, a taste, of ‘false freedom’ but what is our “Divinely Validated Liberty”? Again, John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

I pray you see, sense, and fully understand that this “Divinely Validated Liberty” IS THAT SOVEREIGNLY PLANNED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THIS WORLD! Revelation 13:8 speaks of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” And if you have any doubts, the prophetic Word of Isaiah 53:4-7 tells us: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.”

In John 1:29 the Holy Word tells us: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” And that was Jesus of Nazareth! Revelation 5:11-13 says, Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wisdom and riches, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I hear saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

It’s God who sits on the throne! It’s the Lamb seated on the throne who took our place on the Cross, died, and yet forever lives! And all of that is out of the heart of God who tells us: John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

But also “DIVINELY VALIDATED LIBERTY” IS THAT WHICH WAS AND IS SACRIFICIALLY PURCHASED: It is ours because Jesus has revealed it as a sovereign work of His power, but required, in the mind and heart of God, as that purchased by His shed blood! This is why, in Acts 20:28, that we read, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

No doubt this is why we read in I Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” That price was and is the shed blood of the Lamb of God whose name is Jesus. Are you truly aware of WHO Jesus IS and what Jesus DID AT THE CROSS? This IS the eternal Son of God, God Himself, who gave up His freedom and His very Life that you and I might be set free. Jesus gave up His freedom that you might be LIBERATED FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH! The old hymn says, “Jesus Paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow!”

DIVINELY LIBERATED LIBERTY IS THAT, NOT ONLY PURCHASED BY HIS BLOOD, BUT SWEETLY PRESENTED BY HIS RESURRECTED PRESENCE, POWER, AND PROMISE: Do you understand? In His love He bought you and by His power He raises you up to His throne of everlasting life – and by His grace He liberates you to live in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You may have been in sackcloth and ashes, but in your repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of Christ, He clothes you in His righteousness and instills within you everlasting freedom and liberty. We’re no longer “bound” but “blessed”, not imprisoned by our old sin natures but liberated by His blood and power, not hidden in darkness but one celebrating in the Light, not by self-effort or personal merit but by the grace, mercy, and love of God!

Certainly, it was for sinners He died, because there was and is none righteous, no not one! But though bondage is a curse, through His blood He gives us blessing. Though bondage is a chain, through His blood He gives us freedom. Though bondage is darkness and the very valley of the shadow of death, our Lord dresses us in the beautiful gowns of freedom and liberty. Though bondage is always cruel darkness which stings us and strangles and stifles us, His True Light shines and the darkest midnights of the soul become the high noons blazing in His personal, abiding presence.

DIVINELY LIBERATED LIBERTY IS THAT WHICH, PURCHASED BY HIS SHED BLOOD, BECOMES THROUGH GRACE AND FAITH OUR PRESENT AND PERENNIAL POSSESSION: Do you understand “chained through the ages” but now, through His shed blood, we’re free in the eternal fresh air of holy presence? Bound with the guilty, but now free with the emancipated, bound with the dark ones, but now celebrating with sons and daughters of light, bound with the slaves of sin, but now servants of His holy righteousness, bound in the darkness of sinful hearts, but now servants of God by the dawn of new creation Light?

BUT, LASTLY, DIVINELY LIBERATED LIBERTY IS THAT WHICH, PURCHASED BY HIS SHED BLOOD, GRANTS TO US A PERFECT PARDON: Micah 7:18 says, “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love [or mercy]. Verse 19, He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You [God] will cast our sins into the depths of the sea.”

How does that happen? Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

Yes, even King David knew and understood God’s perfect pardon! He said, Psalm 32:1-5, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand, God, was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.”

It was Spurgeon who said, “Forgiven sin is better than accumulated wealth.” The precious prize of pardon is a dark night turned into the brightness of Heaven’s eternal shining sun on a forgiven son whose sin has been washed and cleansed in the Lamb’s blood! Isaiah 43:25 says, God speaking, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.” Glory!

The memory of past sin, washed in the blood, is not to be like a hanging noose wrapped around your throat! What you were without Christ is not who you ARE in Christ now. Doesn’t His Holy Word tell us, Psalm 32:2, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity (or charge his account with), and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

If any man after death had any perception of a life of unforgiven sin and what he had in store for an unforgiven life of rebellion to God, I believe he’d fall before the Cross and empty tomb, confessing his sin, and calling out for mercy and grace. Oh, please hear Oswald Chambers in his “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.255]. He quoted Hebrews 10:14, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified [or ‘set apart’].” Then Chambers said: “It does not matter who or what we are, there is absolute reinstatement into God by the death of Jesus Christ and no other way, not because Jesus pleads, but because He died. It is not earned, but accepted. All the pleading which deliberately refuses to recognize the Cross is of no avail; it is battering at another door than the one which Jesus opened. I don’t want to come that way, it is too humiliating to be received as a sinner. “There is none other name…” The apparent heartlessness of God is the expression of His real heart, there is boundless entrance in His way. “We have forgiveness through His blood.” Identification with the death of Jesus Christ means identification with Him to the death of everything that never was in Him…The Atonement is a propitiation whereby God through the death of Jesus makes an unholy man holy.”

Divinely Validated Liberty, or freedom, is: “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” []John 8:36].

CHAPTER THREE

MAN DIES! DOES HE LIVE AGAIN?

I don’t know of a more crippling question if one’s life has no foundation of saving grace or mercy, and he asks, “If I die, will I live again?” Death for many is, yes, death to truth because in their minds and hearts they wished to die, having no saving will to live! I saw recently in print a man speaking of “fine dying [which is] a man’s privilege…” But if he doesn’t know if he lives again, what is “fine” about that? That may be the wicked and the weary and the worn down who want what they’ve experienced to be over! But it’s not.

Death is not a ‘troubling dream’; death is not a punishment but an open door to a different state of life; death is either a dread because of the door it opens to some, but for others it is the gate of life opened to eternal blessing; it’s so sad but death for some is experiencing death without having appropriated the life God desired them to claim, while others continue their blessed life of faith even though they have died in resurrection hope, power, and promise.

It’s for certain that there truly is ‘a democracy of the dead’ in which equality is real and sure. It was the “Aerzte-Kalendar” from Germany that had a quote saying: “The thought of death leaves me completely calm because I have the firm conviction that our spirit is a being of indestructible nature, continuing from eternity to eternity; it is similar to the sun, which seems to set each night for us mortals, but which actually never sets, instead continues to shine uninterruptedly.,”

It is for sure our ‘being’ is of an indestructible nature and continues on and on and on either in Heaven or Hell! For some that eternal state after physical death is immeasurable blessing in fellowship with Holy God, with the Lord Jesus Christ, and engulfed in still greater blessings in and through the Holy Spirit; but the ‘lost,’ the unbeliever, the rebellious, the deceived, there remains forever eternal torment under the control of Satan and his satanic demons and armies forever and ever, experiencing a ‘death’ that will not die! For them, death is not the gate to heavenly pleasure but hellish dread.

I really do not know how the ‘godless’ even think about ‘death’ with its open door to continual corruption, demonic disturbance, and satanic slavery. But born-again believers? They take their “rest” on the bosom of Jesus, wrapped in His arms of love and grace and mercy! But the worldly? It was George Eliot who said: “Worldly faces never look so worldly as at a funeral.” IN Revelation 14:13 we read, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘That they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

That is an awesome word of encouragement and enlightment. There is a ‘rest’ from our labors, and what we’ve done in the earthly life follows us into the heavenly life! No doubt this is why the author of Hebrews wrote: Hebrews 4:9-10, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” And, in Hebrews 3:18-19, gracious God has given us a warning: “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” When I read these verses I realize that that moment of death is not as one embracing a moment of final sleep but entering, for them, a new and lasting awakening to the fullness of Heaven’s blessings or the fullness of Hell’s curses!

The Holy Word speaks of “rest” for the believer in death, but to the unbeliever Revelation 9:12 speaks of “One woe is past; and behold, there comes two woes more hereafter.” But the born-again believer? Look with me at I Corinthians 15:50-58!! Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ “O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

I pray you see and are fully aware that born-again believers know and are fully persuaded that death has lost its sting! Yes, for the true believer “death is swallowed up in victory”!

But not all men know “death swallowed up in victory” but death sounding with cruel cries, heavy hearts, and sorrowful loneliness. Eglon, king of Moab, had conquered Israel and ruled over them for eighteen years. But the Lord raised up a deliverer whose name was Ehud. Ehud came to the king carrying not only ‘tributes’ but trouble – he brought a dagger! In the presence of the king, Ehud said to Eglon, “I have a message from God for you.” The dagger was “death swallowed up in defeat!”

You may not have heard of the venerable English preacher, George Whitfield, but in his early ministry days he fell ‘deathly ill’, and was not sure he would live or die. He experienced an extremely high fever and thought his time had come. There was a blessed negro woman who was caring for him. She said boldly, “No, Mr. Whitfield, you are not going to die yet; you have thousands more to bring to Christ; keep up your spirits, for you will live and not die – the Master has a big job for you to do.”

Job no doubt wrestled with himself and God about the reality of death. In Job 30:16-23 we read: “And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; the days of affliction take hold of me. My bones are pierced in me at night, and my gnawing pains take no rest. By great force my garment is disfigured; it binds me about as the collar of my coat. He has cast me into the mire, and I have become like dust and ashes. I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and you regard me. But You have become cruel to me; with strength of Your hand You oppose me. You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success. For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.”

Spurgeon wrote in his “Spurgeon’s Sermons,” [Vol. 17, p.299], “It is the part of a brave man, and especially a believing man, neither to dread death not to sigh for it; neither to fear death nor to court it. In patience possessing his soul, he should not despair of life when hardly pressed; and he should be always more eager to run his race well than to reach its end.” Sound words of wisdom from Dr. Spurgeon!

I have a very solemn statement to share with you that I firmly believe can change your life forever if you respond positively to it. Here it is: “Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.” That comes from Isaiah the prophet to Hezekiah who was sick and near death. [Isaiah 38:1].

Across the seventy-seven years of my life I have witnessed death in the old, in the young, in babies, in middle-aged men and women, scholars, athletes, doctors, housewives, mothers, fathers, soldiers, policemen, historians, prisoners, patriots – but regardless of their status economically, financially, socially, spiritually – whatever, they still died!

The psalm-song of David ought to be learned and sung over and over: Psalm 39:4-7, “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Surely every man walks about as a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.”

It was Augustine who used to speak uncertainly, not sure whether he ought to call life “a dying life or a living death” – and it’s certain the temporal life is a dying life and we are living to die, but that’s simply earthly and fails to face the eternal! I’ll never forget my New Testament professor of preaching at Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, who told us regularly: “Preach as a dying man to dying men!”

Again, Spurgeon, [“Spurgeon’s Sermons,” Vol. 17, p.301] preached: “Early in the life of my boys I took them to the old churchyard of Wimbledon and bade them measure some of the little graves within that enclosure, and they found several green hillocks which were shorter than themselves. I tried thus to impress upon their young minds the uncertainty of life. I would have every child remember that he is not too young to die. Let others know that they are not too strong to die.” Then Spurgeon shared about Paracelsus, a very famous physician of old time, who prepared a medicine that he believed would extend a life for a long time if taken regularly, and maybe never die, except of extreme old age; and guess what? Paracelsus died a young man!

Job not only believed though that the hour of death would come since “it is appointed unto men to die,” but that also, after death, there are “houses appointed for all living.” Beyond death, beyond the grave, there is Satan’s abode and the Savior’s home in glory. Where you spend eternity is to be settled in your own mind, heart, and will.

What did Job say? And did he say it because he truly believed it and rested in it? “I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.” Providential plans are firmly established for “life after death” because of His revealed Word: Didn’t David describe for us the joy in the true believer because of his after-death destination? Psalm 23:4-6 tells us: “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER!”

There is resurrection life AND resurrection hope! It’s Job again, Job 19:25-26, who cemented and celebrated for us the true believers’ after-life when he said: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, THIS I KNOW, that in my flesh I shall see God.”

Paul understood our future after our earthly departure. In I Corinthians 13:12 he wrote: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” And in Christ we are KNOWN BY GOD HIMSELF!

Do you know it, sense it, celebrate it, shout it out on the housetops? Didn’t we read I Corinthians 15:53? “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality?” Glory! Glory Hallelujah!! Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary describes “immortality” like this: “The quality of never ceasing to live or exist; exemption from death and annihilation; life destined to endure without end; as the immortality of the human soul – Jesus Christ, who has abolished death, and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” [2 Timothy 1:10]. Noah Webster went on to describe immortality as “exemption from oblivion…existence not limited.”

And all of this is because, I Timothy 1:17, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God alone who is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” SO BE IT!

But I do know that there are so many people, even some in our local churches, who’ve never broken through their walls of fear about death to rest in the eternal hope of their oneness in and with Christ Jesus for the forever life in Heaven. Of course, some are afraid to die because they know they are separated from God, and intend to stay that way – but Hell scares them. I can only pray they get Hell scared out of them because Hell is real as Heaven is real, but it truly is a ‘hellish’ place!

Again, listen to the wise Spurgeon who operates as a surgeon on the disease of the fear of death and Hell: [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol. 17, pps. 312-313], “When the decree of God is our delight, we feel no abhorrence to anything which He appoints either in life or in death. If we are living as Christians ought to live, we have denied our self-will, and we have accepted the Lord to be the arbiter of all events, the absolute ruler of our being. If your soul is truly married to Christ, you find your supreme bliss in the Bridegroom’s will. Your cry is, “Your will be done.” This should be our ordinary condition in daily life; and it is an admirable preparation for thinking of death with composure. Let me live, if God will be with me in life; let me die, if He will be with me in death. So long as we are “forever with the Lord,” what matters where else we are? We will not further ask when or where; our ‘when’ is “forever,” our ‘where’ is “with the Lord.” Delight in God is the cure for dread of death.” Amen?

Are you at peace that if you lie down in your bed tonight that it just might be your last night alive in your earthly body? The one thing I believe we gladly receive through the truth of God’s Word is that a man is not prepared to live fully if he’s not prepared to die in faith – not fear. How does that come to be?

RECFEIVE GOD’S FAITHFUL WORD FOR YOURSELF ABOUT LIFE AND ABOUT DEATH. What did Jesus tell us? “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” How’s your daily menu in God’s Word?

RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM DYING. Isn’t death appointed? It doesn’t matter where you live death occurs. It doesn’t matter how educated you are – one is not wiser than death. It doesn’t matter how physically strong you’ve disciplined y7ourself to be, that moment comes when death rules. It doesn’t matter how religious you’ve trained yourself – death is inevitable. Psalm89:49 says, “What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?”

RECOGNIZE THAT, ONCE DUST, TO DUST WE SHALL RETURN. Yes, Job spoke of ‘corruption’ that ‘you are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’ alerting himself that he does go the way of all men – and he knew his time would come. Do you deny it? “In Adam all die”! But, praise God, in Christ we live forever even though the physical perishes!

RECOGNIZE, YES, THE WAGES OF SIN IS, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE ‘DEATH’! What does Romans 5:12 tell us? “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – “ So, we’re hopeless? Look at Romans 5:17! “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more, those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus.”

RECOGNIZE IN YOURSELF THE REALITY OF YOUR OWN AWARENESS, ASSOCIATION, OR AFFINITY WITH THE INEVITABLE!! And do you know what happens when we get gut-level honest with ourselves? We begin to ask questions, to look about us to the overcomers of the fear of death, to truly ask, “Does God have a word for me?”, to set aside satanic influences of unbelief, doubt, or fear, and to begin a journey of faith and obedience to “my Savior” who died and rose again!

In Psalm 91 we find such a powerful word of enlightment, encouragement, and an enabling to live the overcoming life in Christ. It says: Verses 14-16, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Living in Christ is living abundantly because that’s LIVING IN AND THROUGH GOD ALONE!

CHAPTER FOUR

“LIFE AS A VAPOR? WHERE’S ITS SIGNIFICANCE?”

In “The Works” of Alfred Lord Tennyson, [p.546], the famous poet and writer of the past, wrote the following words: “Visions of youth – for my brain was drunk with the water, it seems; I had past into perfect quiet at length out of pleasant dreams, And the transient trouble of drowning – what was it when matched with the pains Of the hellish heat of a wretched life rushing back through the veins?” The very next writing?

“Why should I live? One son had forged on his father and fled, And if I believed in a God, I would thank him, the other is dead, And there was a baby-girl, that had never looked on the light: Happiest she of us all, for she past from the night to the night.”

A suicidal youth and a dead baby girl who never saw light! And some believe they’ve celebrated life by drowning or just dying right out of the mother’s womb? I believe I’d call that “maimed, marred, misspent living.” I pray that it would alarm you, stir you, challenge you, that you would discover multitudes around you who see for themselves no real value in living – as James 4:14 asks, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

And that’s true of masses of people! Certainly we were all created free to choose whether to live as a fleeting vapor or a victorious son and daughter of God Himself. But sadly, the paralysis of believing, of trusting, of obeying the God who made us, leaves one spiritually and morally empty, and he/she does as he/she pleases with desperate, darkening consequences. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Presumptuous people are for the most part people who are arrogant, filled with fleshly pride, irreverent to revealed Truth, ‘living’ unto themselves in a state of spiritual blindness, darkness, and unbelief. They defy conscience, promote vainness, and despise holiness and holy revelation.

Vapor victims? Life has no meaning for them, life purpose is a paralysis they think they avoid, life relationship to God is hollow for them, life values are personal merits rather than Prince of Peace mercy; life music has no sound chords but only death and dying, off-key rhythms; life’s ‘self’, as Francis Bacon wrote, is ‘the chiefest bridle of all vices’; “life is doubt so just do as you please;” life is for many an untruth that sprouts into total falsehood, becoming Satan’s sharp teeth to sink into others; yes, and vapor victims can be victims of religion apart from relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Robert Burns, in “The Cotter’s Saturday Night,” wrote: “Compared with this, how poor Religion’s pride, in all the pomp of method and of art, When men display to congregations wide, Devotion’s every grace, except the heart!”

In “Gentle Alice Brown” Sir William Schwenk Gilbert wrote: “Of all unhappy sinners, I’m the most unhappy one! The padre said, ‘Whatever have you been and gone and done?” LIFE IS A VAPOR! That’s “what you’ve been and gone and done!” How sad is Job 7:6-10? “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope. Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good. The eye of him who sees me will see me no more; while your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be. As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave does not come up. He shall never return to his house, nor shall his place know him anymore.”

Fast, fleeting, hopeless days – a brief breath – a vanishing cloud – one who is no longer known – with Job at one point in his earthly journey even saying: Job 7:16, “I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are but a breath.”

“Life as a vapor? Where is its significance?” James helped us so much to understand “hope” when one sees himself as totally “hopeless”. In James 1:14-16 the brother of Jesus wrote: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” How did Paul the Apostle put it? Romans 5:10 says, “For id when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

Paul said later in his letter to the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He [God] mahe Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” That’s our eternal victory not temporal vapors! But the sad truth is some who profess faith in Jesus’ shed blood for their sin never consider5 its purpose in God’s grace and mercy to extend, express, and enlighten His righteousness through their daily journeys!

“My sins are forgiven!” SO? For what purpose and to whose glory? In Romans 5:14-17, 20, the Apostle of faith challenges us: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more, the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more, those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus. Verse 20, Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

I’m not interested any further in elaborating on our death, our state of death, or our date with death, but that out of that spiritual death our Lord and Savior has released for us “resurrection life, resurrection power, and resurrection hope.” It’s so true that a man needs to understand his latter end and the briefness of his days on this earth, but more importantly one needs to grasp, “Why am I here? And, what is the purpose of my existence?”

Spurgeon said, [“Spurgeon’s Sermons”,Vol.15, p.54], “Among the earnest, the prayerful, the holy, many must own that the vaults of death have brought them spiritual health.” And I believe, even more, confronted by Christ, testified to by the lives of His servants, spiritually convicted by His living Word, one comes to the holy hour of divine confrontation and eternal intent!

Significant day? Significant life? I believe that’s the day of truly eternal significance when one is gripped, not by what today or tomorrow brings, but WHO HOLDS US IN HIS HANDS AND ARMS AND HEART OF SAVING GRACE, MERCY, AND LOVE. Have you heard our Lord say to you: “You are Mine because I love you, I died for you, and I rose from the grave to draw YOU unto MYSELF?” In 2 Corinthians 4:6 we read, :For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Significant day? Significant life? At least “vapor” shows us how meaningless and fleeting we are in ourselves. I believe, by God’s Word and by God’s Spirit and by God’s faithful witnesses, that we begin to sense, receive, and stand upon our eternal purpose of “LIVING” in the glory and relationship of oneness with Him! Paul put it like this in Galatians 1:15-16, 24: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me…v.24…And they glorified God in me.” In Galatians 2:20-21 Paul enlightens us even more: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God…”

Significant day? Significant life? The new disciple’s life is not for pats on our backs but for praises to the God of grace. In I Peter 2:9-10 Peter tells us: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

Paul, in Romans 1:3-5 speaks “concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him, we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom YOU ALSO ARE THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST…”

“Obedience to the faith”? In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 Paul wrote: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

Ambassadors for Christ, messengers to a lost and dying world, witnesses of His amazing grace, love, and mercy, the story-tellers of eternal truth, the flag-carriers of kingdom allegiance – extensions of His life, expressions of His love, the proofs of His power!

Significant day? Significant life? What about safety? What about security? What about ‘settled into’? What about heavenly significance of service and sacrifice? What about life as a true hymn of faith? In Isaiah 33:14-17 the prophet wrote: “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites; “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures with his hands refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He will dwell on high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, His water will be sure. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will see the land that is very far off.”

Spurgeon wrote: [“Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol. 15, p.31], “Safety in Zion belongs to those born in her by regeneration, reared in her by sanctification, enfranchised in her by faith in the Son of God, settled in her by fixed principles, confirmed in her by obedience to her laws, and bound to her by intense love of her king and her citizens. Such “shall dwell on high” secure from danger, and only such: the aliens and foreigners within her gates shall ere long be driven forth with shame.”

“Life as a vapor? And where is its significance? Just think for a moment about Paul’s challenging statement to the Galatian church – Galatians 4:19-20, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.” Do you grasp a present, participatory, praying spirit in the “professors of faith” around you? For many, rather than significant, saving faith, it is an attitude of shame toward God and they’re angry with Him. In Isaiah 45:22-25, God speaks: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.”

That’s because some are so ‘self-sufficient’ that they believe God ought to bless them because of their meritorious ‘spiritual genius’ – and God laughs! But the ‘true Israel’ calls for mercy. The true Israel calls to God for new hearts. The true Israel cries out for grace to abound toward them more and more. The true Israel knows and understands there is no hope for them save in God Himself! Their faith and trust is living – not dead, it is dynamic – not dormant, it is heart-changing – not cosmetic!

Significant day? Significant life? Do you remember the angel’s description of John to Zacharias? Luke 1:16-17 says, “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Oh, how awesome is that! Our faith in Christ is a walk making ready people prepared for the Lord! YOUR LIFE IN CHRIST? It’s not a fictitious story of faithlessness but the true story of people preparing to meet their God!

What does Ephesians 2:8-10 tell us about our life and living in Christ in eternal significance? It says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

What is a ‘professed’ faith if there is no life change? Your outward life may be perceived as “All For God,” but if there is no new heart by the grace of God, it’s a sham, a pretense, a false witness! But grace, true grace, births a new witness – Titus 2:11-12 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age..” Then in Titus 3:5-7 he amplifies it to Titus, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

There’s nothing ‘skin-deep’ about saving faith in a “new life” – saving faith is the reality of crucifixion with and in Christ and raised up as a new creation. In Psalm 24:3-5 David wrote about the King of glory and His Kingdom citizens. He said: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Oh, examine your ‘life’ of faith. Is it a true life of faith – redeemed by the blood of Christ, regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and renewed by the Living Word of God? Are you a free man in Christ Jesus? Free from the darkened sins of your old sin nature? Free from the uncontrolled vices of guilt and shame and bondage? Free from the oppression and domination of the powers of darkness? Free from the fashionable sins of a perverted people? Free from the starvation diet fleshliness birthed in you? Free from the abomination of a defenseless nature of sin and death?

What did Jesus tell us? John 10:27-30, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal live, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

Oh, but that is not all you need to rest in!! Look at Romans 8:31-39!! What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In “Spurgeon’s Sermons,” [Vol.15, pps. 46-47] Spurgeon said: “As for the waters, the living waters of grace and of the Holy Spirit, these shall always flow: in summer and winter shall the still waters be found at your side; yes, they shall be within you “a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” Words cannot tell the privilege of the man who lives in God and lives with God! He need not shiver in the damps of the earth – he lives on high; he need not fear the fury of the enemy, for he has a place of defence; he need not dread the lapse of time; his munitions are of rock; he need not tremble at famine and drought, his needs shall all be met by the care of heaven. The man who knows his sins are forgiven, who is covered with the righteousness of Christ, who is in vital union with the Lord Jesus, who is indwelt by the Holy Ghost: that man, I say, need not desire to be any other than he is, but may give himself up to blessing and praise and magnifying the Most High every moment of his life till he is caught up to the highest heaven, to dwell where enemies cannot threaten nor necessities arise.”

Always remember: self-righteousness is a curse – Savior-blessed righteousness is heavenly celebration daily; self-acceptance is deceit if Christ within you is not your delight; self-approval is blindness while Christ’s Atonement is true sight and heavenly vision; self-worship is the devil’s delight while “rejoicing in the Lord” is a disciple’s journey and eternal destiny’ self-will is spiritual sickness while divine will and blessing is healthy living, thanks to God’s love, mercy, and grace.

Psalm 39 is an awesome psalm of personal awareness and a psalm of one’s awareness of the great, great need of God to transform “vapors” into the eternal breath of God in us. The psalmist wrote: I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreaths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches and does not know who will gather them. And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; Surely every man is a vapor. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as well as my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.”

Hear me! If your “life” is a life of significance and celebration it’s because you are “in Christ Jesus”! No other reason or explanation! So… “All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown Him Lord of all!!”

I truly celebrate Christ Jesus every time I pick up and read Oswald Chambers’ “My Utmost For His Highest.” On pages 140-141 he listed Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him.” Then he said confirming words to this chapter: “The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realization, but towards knowing Jesus Christ. [I say, that’s true life!]. The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard, or thinks of his life as secular and sacred; he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There is a reckless abandonment about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we shall realize Jesus Christ in every domain of life, and He will bring us to the same point again and again until we do. SELF-REALIZATION leads to enthronement of work; whereas the saint enthrones Jesus Christ in his work. Whether it be eating or drinking or washing disciples’ feet, whatever it is, we have to take the initiative of realizing Jesus Christ in it! Every phase of our actual life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father in the most menial work. “Jesus knowing…that He was come from God, and went to God…took a towel…and began to wash the disciples’ feet.”…The aim of the spiritual saint is “that I may know Him.” Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am here not to realize myself, but to know Jesus…[the disciple’s] aim is to secure the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances he is in.” AMEN?

CHAPTER FIVE

“IS THERE WISDOM IN WAITING ON GOD?”

In “Tennyson’s Works” I do not know what spurred the following but it does speak, not to waiting, but postponing what could have happened earlier in two lives. Tennyson wrote: “And the wind began to rise, and I thought of him out at sea, And I felt I had been to blame; he was always kind to me, ‘Wait a little, my lass, I am sure it will all come right’ – And the boat went down that night – the boat went down that night.”

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines waiting as “staying in expectation.” I like that, but I also know that waiting can be ‘wilting’! Job said in Job 14:14, “…All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes.” He didn’t want to be ahead of God or behind Him. Job said later, Job 17:13-15, “If I wait for the grave as my house, if I make my bed in the darkness, if I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’ and to the worm, ‘You are my mother and my sister,’ Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it?”

There’s no doubt Job knew a ‘waiting’ apart from God can be so demonstrative of everything but Godly living and Godly expression and experience. He had learned to battle through dark moments and come out in eternal Light. In Job 19:25 he said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth, Verse 26, And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.”

Living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas, area it is not unusual to see a large number of auto wrecks daily, snuffing out lives by the hundreds over a year’s time, and some because of faulty brakes – but spiritually far too many outside of automobile wrecks have no wisdom, no understanding, no prudence to protect, but live so recklessly. Fleshly or carnal security is not exempt from spiritual stupidity. They don’t possess holy wisdom but learn self-pride and self-wisdom goes before a spiritual fall which can become so disastrous. Their lives have faulty spiritual brakes because they’re devoid of divine wisdom.

There is such an impressive, inspirational instruction in Isaiah 40:29-31. It says, “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Of course, you are aware that “youths and young men” feel they are so invincible that they need no one, not even God! But they do “faint,” they do “fail,” and they do “fall.” Even “old men” wax “old” in foolishness and will “live” in spiritual death because they base their lives on fleshly desires, inordinate affections, maddening morality, and give no place for God in their lives! It’s not just old garments that become “ragged and torn”, but old men as well who have no wisdom.

Wanton, worldly wisdom waits not on God but wilts and dies because men build “houses” with no foundation of faith or on unstable, improper, yes, deathly foundations without God!

Knowing the reality of heavenly wisdom that comes from “waiting on God” comes because one recognizes truly that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” Apart from Him it’s death in full mode. And this, no doubt, is why inspired by the Holy Spirit, James wrote 1:5-8 which says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Lacking wisdom and knowing it is not a universal blessing but sadly a universal curse because most men really believe they are wiser than God Himself and more able to handle their own affairs leaving God Himself out of their lives. “If any of you lack wisdom” – how wise or insufficient of wisdom are you? Do you understand that when it comes to our lives in the spiritual realm that most have never had a tutor – they are content with spiritual blinders to ignore rather than have unveiled in them the wisdom of God.

But James told us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him.” Let’s see what we can discover about the wisdom of waiting on God!

WE’VE JUST SEEN IN SCRIPTURE THE WISWDOM OF WAITING ON GOD THROUGH PRAYER: If we look at Ephesians 5:18 we hear Paul instructing us to “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” It’s for sure that “praying…in the ‘flesh’” is of no value but praying in and through the Spirit-Man opens the door to the very mind and heart of God.

In James 4:2 James said: “Yet you do not have because you do not ask.” Didn’t Jesus tell us in Matthew 7:7-11 about asking and receiving? “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

BUT ALSO THERE MUST BE THE WISDOM OF RECEIVING FROM “THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES” AS OUR EXAMPLE: In Hebrews 12:1-4 we see a challenging word for us: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Forconsider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted ti bloodshed, striving against sin.”

Tell me about that godly “cloud of witnesses” that you’ve allowed to surround your life – family, friends, ‘angels unaware,’ teachers, neighbors, classmates, the converted and transformed ‘drunk’ or drug addict, the friends whose marriages were saved by Christ Jesus, that holy professor whose presence constantly caught YOUR ATTENTION.

Acts 5:25-32 highlights for us godly witnesses that cannot be silenced or denied – and all around YOU are godly witnesses from whom you can and will receive their “cloud of glory” as they reveal to you their salvation journey. “So one came and told them, saying, ‘Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!’ Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.’” And doesn’t His Word speak about a “great cloud of witnesses”?

THEN ALSO THIS GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES IS THE WISDOM THAT ACCEPTS GOD’S EXCHANGE OF HIMSELF FOR OUR NOTHINGNESS: In I Timothy 6:7 Paul wrote: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” To Titus Paul wrote: Titus 1:15, “…to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled…”

I don’t hesitate in saying to you that apart from God’s salvation in and through Christ ALL MEN are as nothing – that’s zeroes. No eternal LIFE, No eternal significance, and yet our Lord valued them enough to die on the Cross for their nothingness to bless them with Heaven’s everything and ALL!

Alfred Lord Tennyson, in “Despair,” wrote the following: [“Tennyson’s Works,” p.545], “Hoped for a dawn and it came; but the promise had faded away; We had passed from the cheerless night to the glare of a drearier day;….He is only a cloud and a smoke who was once a pillar of fire, The guess of a worm in the dust and the shadow of its desire – Of a worm as it writhes in a world of the weak trodden down by the strong, Of a dying worm in a world, all massacre, murder and wrong….O we poor orphans of nothing – alone on that lonely shore – Born of the brainless Nature who knew not that which she bore!….Trusting no longer that earthly flower would be heavenly fruit – Come from the brute, poor souls– no souls – and to die with the brute.”

In Isaiah 40:17 the prophet looks upon the nations of the masses of people and says: “All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.” But then, because of His great love and mercy, He chooses to die in our place that we might live in Him and through Him! In James 1:2-4 James wrote: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Do you see that? Out of a saving, tried faith, God’s people allow the steadfastness of God to do a perfect work in them, and they become mature and complete, lacking nothing. The “nothings” become inheritors of His everything! In Jeremiah 29:11 our Lord speaks: “For I know the thoughts that I have toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

ALSO, PLEASE NOTE, IT’S WISDOM, TRUE WISDOM THAT DISCOVERS AND DEPENDS UPON THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD: One of the awesome passage of the Old Testament is found in I Chronicles 29:10-14 which says, Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly; and David said: ‘Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.”

A solemn, serious, sacrifice of praise is in order every day of a man’s life concerning the greatness of our God. In fact, I see it as indispensable – and apart from the worship and praise of God’s greatness, it causes me to wonder if they’ve truly entered a saving relationship with Holy, Merciful, Loving God. The greatness of God is immortal!

The greatness of God, yes, the awareness and acknowledgement of it by men, breeds eternal interest, abiding love for, and continual praise and bowing before and celebrating our great God! The absence of that in one’s life is evidence they’ve never met Him, or known Him, or loved Him, or celebrated Him. Psalm 48:1 says, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised…” Great in goodness, great in mercy, great in love, great in His activity, great in His wisdom, great in His deliverance, great in His salvation, great in His assurance, great in His glory, great in His power, great in His name, great God, great King, great Savior, great Lord, great Peace, great Joy – do you know, do you serve “The God Who Is Greater?”

THIS LEADS US TO THE WISDOM THAT OPENS THE HEART OF WORSHIP AND PRAISE AND ADORATION IN A TRUE BELIEVER’S HEART AND SOUL: In John 4 the woman of Samaria had come to draw water and Jesus asked a drink of her. The woman responded, verse 9, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” In verse 10 Jesus responded to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” What a curve-ball to a ‘strike-out queen! But, at least now, encountered by Jesus, she wants to know where one gets ‘living water’!

In telling her about the ‘living water,’ Jesus tells her that the water He’ll give to her will become in her a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life! Then, beginning in verse 21-26, Jesus reveals to her the heart of true worship! Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of [or through] the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

And who are the true worshippers? Philippians 3:3 says, “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh [or one’s old sin nature.”

Revelation 4:8-11 is a picture of those who “bow” before Holy God and their Savior in an unending attitude of adoration and praise! It says: “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes, around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”

I remember in my very younger years, maybe 8-11 years of age, when I visited my father’s parents in Athens, Tennessee, they had a large two-story home with a wrap-around porch from the front door all the way around to the back door. I often walked around the porch and would witness a woman on her porch on her knees with her hands lifted high. I asked my grandmother one day what the woman was doing, and she responded, “Why, son, she’s worshipping and praising and praying to God. She bows before Him every day.” I didn’t ask her but I should Have: “Mammaw, do you bow and pray every day?”

I would ask you right now: “Are you a disciple who bows, who prays, who worships God every day?” I love the statement that I heard on an occasion: “Worship is transcendent wonder.” It was Rufus Jones who once wrote: “Worship is the act of rising to a personal, experimental consciousness of the real presence of God which floods the soul with joy and bathes the inward spirit with refreshing streams of life.” WOW!

Psalm 95:1-7 says: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.”

IT’S ALSO WISDOM THAT UNVEILS THE WILL OF GOD AND THE WAYS OF GOD: In Ephesians 6:6 Paul wrote: “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, DOING THE WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART.” Then, in I Thessalonians 4:3 Paul said: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” And sanctification means what? That’s one “set apart” for the glory of God alone!

Oswald Chambers wrote in his “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.217], “Am I willing to let God do in me all that has been made possible by the Atonement? Am I willing to let Jesus be made sanctification to me, and to let the life of Jesus be manifested in my mortal flesh?”

Then Chambers added: “All that Jesus made possible is mine by the free loving gift of God on the ground of what He performed, my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness), a holiness based on agonizing repentance and a sense of unspeakable shame and degradation; and also on the amazing realization that the love of God commended itself to me in that while I cared nothing about Him, He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul says nothing is “able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Wisdom unveils the will of God which unveils the very ways of God! We know that Jesus says: “I am the WAY…” Is His way your way? In Luke 1:67-79 Zacharias had been filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Now, look at verses 78-79 again! “Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Are you a part of “the new and living way”? Hebrews 10:19-25 says: “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching.”

It’s my earnest prayer that “the new and living way” is your path, and that you choose God’s will and God’s way every day of your life! In Deuteronomy 30:11-20 we read: “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

But last of all, in this chapter, I WANT YOU TO SEE, SENSE, SEIZE, AND STAND IN THE WISDOM THAT SHARES IN THE WORK OF THE LORD: In Acts 9 we have recorded Saul of Tarsus’ conversion experience. As he was confronted by the Lord, at first he didn’t know who He was, but then in verse 6, “trembling and astonished,” Paul said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Far too many who have “been saved” (?) want the Lord’s stamp of approval for their plans of a disciple’s walk, but not His! In Acts 9:15 the Lord Jesus said to Ananias, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. Verse 16, For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Paul was a “first round draft choice” by our Lord. And he signed on! In I Corinthians 9:19-27 he said: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law, ( not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” [Check out 2 Timothy 2:15-21!]

You do know that there is a night coming when no man can work. Don’t be delayed in fulfilling our Lord’s calling through your life and witness. Are you a laborer together with God? And, like Paul, we’ll not serve our Lord with our own preconceived ideas, but “Lord, what would You have me to do?” Oswald Chambers said: “One life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God then one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit….Unless the worker lives a life hidden with Christ in God, he is apt to becoming an irritating dictator instead of an indwelling disciple.” [“My Utmost For His Highest,” p.83].

W.H. Bellamy and Wm. J. Kirkpatrick wrote the following old hymn: “O troubled heart, there is a home, Beyond the reach of toil and care; a home where changes never come; Who would not fain be resting there?…Yet when bowed beneath the load, By heaven allowed, your earthly lot; Look up! You’ll reach that blest abode; Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not….Toil on, nor deem, tho’ sore it be, One sigh unheard, one prayer forgot; The day of rest will dawn for you; Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not.”

WAIT ON THE LORD!! IT’S WISDOM!!

CHAPTER SIX

IS IT COMMONPLACE TO BE DECEIVED?

Thomas Adams once said: “The devil is no idle spirit, but a vagrant, runagate walker, that never rests in one place. – The motive, cause, and main intention of his walking is to ruin man.” If you have a problem believing in the devil, guess what? You’ve been deceived by the very author and master of deception! In I peter 5:8 Peter wrote: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.”

It was Shakespeare in “Comedy of Errors,” [Act 5, sc.1, l.9] who wrote: “He must have a long spoon that shall eat with the devil.” I’m not sure I agree with Thomas a Kempis writing that, “The devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own,” because entrapment, deception, a lying spirit, and, yes, temptation overflows out of him and his devilish army, not just to disciples of Christ but even to our Lord’s enemies.

But neither do I believe deception comes only from Satan. In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Paul wrote: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Genesis 3 is our introduction to deception that becomes so commonplace – and the very first verse says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” Several things take place here that every man, woman, and child is susceptible to: 1) The devil casts doubt on the Word of God, 2) The devil twisted truth and distorted it, 3) The devil confuses – Verse 3, 4) The devil spouts the BIG “LIE” – you can sin and not die, Genesis 3:4 5) The devil breeds unbelief and then entices – Verse 6.

And look what happens as a result of a commonplace deception! Verse 7 says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made them coverings.” That’s the early birth of ‘FIG-LEAF RELIGION’ which dominates fallen humanity.

There are deceitful men whose evil hearts dictate commonplace deception. The Word speaks of “deceitful and unjust men.” In Psalm 120:2 the psalmist cried out in his distress saying to the Lord, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.” Have you tried to score that with your national leaders or your investment advisers or your children’s teachers or, yes, even your church’s overseers?

Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” And that surely can be more than the devil and his army! And if you, apart from Christ, have not learned it about yourself, get ready! Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, God speaking: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”

In Ecclesiastes 9:3 the “wise man” wrote: “This is an evil; in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; [do you think deceit might be included in “the hearts of the sons of men (who) are full of evil?] madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.”

What did God say through Jeremiah in Jeremiah 9:3-6? “And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,” says the Lord. “Everyone take heed to hios neighbor, and do not trust any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanderers. Everyone will deceive his neighbor, and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Mw,” says the Lord.”

There was a day, after serious preparation, that Jesus had left Jerusalem for Bethany, and He was hungry. In Mark 11:13 the Word says: “And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves…” The fruit had not been produced yet. And I wondered – does the Lord look for heavenly fruit on the trees of our lives or is He disappointed when He sees fruitless trees that deceive the public about our professional faith but are barren trees?

Deception? Commonplace Deception? Fallen men without Christ are specialists at examining one’s profession of faith – and sadly, too often, rather than a sacrificial life they see covetousness, rather than a servant spirit they see self-centered multitudes of church folk simply examining their spiritual navels! Spurgeon was right! “A false professor [of Christ] exposes Christ to ridicule.” Outward allegiance breeds individuals who inwardly are becoming “gospel-hardened.” Do you remember “the parable of the two sons” in Matthew 21:28-32? Don’t miss the “I go, sir,” but he doesn’t go! That’s deceit – not true wisdom!

Why is it that some know TRUTH but find that truth clouded over by fleshly lies that they have time to resolve their spiritual dilemma later? That’s deceit! Here’s how Spurgeon dealt with that attitude as he preached: [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol.9,p.198], “Pity the poor naked spirit which so soon will be quivering with utmost agony, a self-caused agony, an agony from which it would not escape, an agony of which it was warned, but which it chose to endure sooner THAN GIVE UP SIN and yield to the scepter of sovereign grace.” WHAT A DECEPTION!

Think about Adam and Eve in the Garden as Satan came to deceive them! And consider again that the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was not, is not, never will be the fruit of the tree of life. And where has the majority of fallen humanity chosen to find their fruit? Bitter trees – blessed fruit? Or bitter trees of life – blessed fruit of life? The devil’s choice or the Savior’s sacrifice?

Deception! I’m sorry, so very sorry, for the millions who bow before idols and receive no salvation help. Deception! I’m sorry, so very sorry, for the millions who follow religiously dead men and know nothing about the Living Savior and Lord. I’m sorry, so very sorry, for, yes, masses of people who go to cemeteries without any hope of resurrection life and power. Deception!

Deception? The author of Hebrews calls us all to a high alert! In Hebrews 3:12-14 we read, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you8 an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today”, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end…”

“Departing”? Has the Hebrews author alerted, yes, ‘believers’ to the danger and a disaster of a life deceived by sin? He speaks of our “rest” but then in Hebrews 3:15-19 he says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

If a man is deceived, if a man is falling, if a man is falling because of disobedience, repentance is as necessary for the stumbling as it was for one’s conversion experience, which is why Hebrews 4:16 alerts us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Thank God that grace and mercy is truly available to the brokenhearted over their deception!

We’ve already seen that Satan himself since the days of Adam and Eve has been busy with “deception” – “has God really Said?” “You surely shall not die”! “I’ll give you a kingdom to rule over!” But there is more: I Peter 5:8-9 tells us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a rearing lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhoods in the world.”

I say to you with a heavy heart that I would be seriously concerned about a lost man or a believing man who would dare to say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about – I’ve had no threats from the devil?” Could that be because he’s already fully captured and controlled? And it’s more than deception, it’s more than even devouring – he wants to destroy your witness, destroy any faith you may have, destroy your ministry, destroy your family, destroy your circle of influence. He wants you so deceived that you’re no longer a threat to his field of operation.

But it’s not only the powers of darkness who want to paralyze you from seeing and walking in the highway of holiness – there are also worldly men who will, who do, who attempt to short-circuit your connection with faith in Christ. In Ephesians 4:12 Paul wrote: “that we should be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…”

Far too many believers are totally unaware of “the trickery of men”! The prophet Jeremiah looked around his community and country, and in Jeremiah 9:1 he spoke of his “eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” But God had to say in Jeremiah 9:3, “…they are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me.” And then in verse 6 the Lord told Jeremiah, “Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the Lord.

Then, in Matthew 24:11, Jesus moved away from ordinary men spouting deception – He said: “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” In Isaiah’s day, Isaiah 30:8-11, God told Isaiah, “Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever; that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; who say to seers, ‘Do not see,’ and to prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get out of the way, tuen aside from the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” And certainly this modern-day is a day in which rebellious people promote, allow, even love “smooth things”, and false prophets are raised up to “prophesy deceits.”

But God is so gracious. In Isaiah 30:21 He tells us, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” You can trust God even when you’re attacked with ‘deception’ and you find yourself afraid. Corrie Ten Boom said before her death, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

Then there is another path you could find yourself on if you’re not alert, not careful, and not disciplined in “the way of righteousness.” In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 we read: “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Unrighteous deception? And notice, unrighteous deception because they “had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Didn’t we see in Hebrews 3:13 about some being “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin?”

Also there is the “mere men malady”! Look carefully at I Corinthians 3:1-3! “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” Then Paul later warned us and alerted us to the “blessed walk of faith.” That’s I Corinthians 3:18-23! But how does this “mere men malady” capture some in deception? Matthew 13:22 says, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of the world and THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES CHOKE THE WORD, and he becomes unfruitful.” DECEPTION CHOKES TO DEATH – NOT LIFE!

Let me share one more dilemma that some find themselves in. In Colossians 2:8 Paul wrote: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” Then he opened wide the door of faith and trust and hope and blessing when he said in Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Question? In your journey with Jesus, what is your greatest blessing outside of your oneness with Christ? Before going to the next chapter, please read Luke 10:1-20!!

CHAPTER SEVEN

IS THE GOAL OF CHRISTLIKENESS UNATTAINABLE?

There are those who truly believe that if their names are recorded in a church’s membership role then certainly all is right between them and the Lord Jesus. I don’t know anything any further from the truth than that statement. There are those who say they are probably more knowledgeable about Jesus because from infancy on they’ve attended a church regularly. But I have to ask again, “Does church attendance validate one’s salvation experience?” Does burial in a Christian cemetery assure that one buried there must have been a believer? And did that dead ‘believer’ conform his life to Christ’s life?

Even ordained ministers have often been deceived in their journeys – “why of course I am Christlike – if not, how was I ordained? Why, almost daily I am counseling needy souls and every Sunday I preach at least once – and you wonder if I’m Christlike?” Have you ever been around “a biblical scholar” whose daily walk has no resemblance to spiritual soundness and reflects poorly on the spirit of the power of Truth and gives no evidence of the “second birth”?

In a church community have you ever been around faultfinders or constant, unbearable, condemning gossips or condescending bullies? Slander is a chief weapon of those who “profess” Christ but know nothing of possessing or being possessed by the fullness and spirit of His Life! Their mission in life? To right the wrongs in every one’s ‘life in Christ’ but their own.

Have you ever heard it? “Well, I presume I am saved because I was baptized as a baby, as a child, as a teenager, or as an adult – of course I’m saved!” “Oh, I might not resemble Jesus – but I try.” “Yes, I’m a Christian – I may not look like Jesus – I may not resemble Him at all, but do you want to see my baptismal certificate?”

And I would ask: “Were you crucified with Christ? You know you live, but no longer YOU – it’s Christ in you who is the hope of glory? Did you die to your flesh [your old man, your old sin nature] so the Spirit of Christ might live in you and through you?” Have you passed from death unto life and that life of Christ sealed in you by His Spirit? Or have you suspended the journey because you believe since you were “saved and baptized”, beyond that it’s foolishness? I don’t think so!

“Patience for His perfect work?” “Why, I’m “saved” already, so what’s this business of a ‘spiritual perfect work’?” “You mean I’m supposed to look like Jesus in all I am or all I do or in all I say? That sounds like salvation by works to me. I’m going to stay away from those “work” words!” If one has been truly “born again,” he/she begins a journey of conformity to Christlikeness, taking the sentence of death daily that the resurrection life of Christ may be manifested, fully released, each day.

“Patience for His perfect work” appears to many as a path to ‘rose-colored’ living without a single problem. When Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation,” to many that sounds like a betrayal of true faith even though Jesus suffered, bled, and died on the Cross!

What’s the question? “Is the goal of Christlikeness unattainable?” Do you grasp the identification of the one who asks it? That’s the one who is not truly acquainted with the Word of God, not familiar with biblical truth, and, yes, not identifying with even the words of Jesus! They are influenced by the world, the world in the church, by the flesh, and by the devil himself – and the devil surely doesn’t want you to be even a believer who identifies with the Word of God! Darkness in the mind about one’s true identity in Christ is a devilish ploy to bring deception into fruition rather than a true believer standing on the Word.

I know there is ‘holy anxiety’ at times when one has known the Truth, walked in it, and, maybe, fallen away from it for a brief moment, but a “new-born” son or daughter of God will, I say WILL, arm themselves afresh and anew against sin and death. It was Spurgeon who said, “There is no temple of the Philistines which shall not fall beneath the might of our greater Samson.” I pray you receive that truth!! He then quoted a hymn with powerful words: “No power in earth or hell Can force me to depart; Christ is my strength unconquerable, He fortifies my heart…Fixed in His love I stand, And none shall drive me thence; Enclosed I am within the hand of Love’s omnipotence.”

Do you truly understand “abiding in Jesus”? There is JOY in abiding there! There is PEACE in abiding there! There is FULLNESS in abiding there! Paul told the church at Rome: Romans 15:29, “But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” What a word of hope and encouragement to us!

Christlikeness unattainable? It’s so opposite the holy work of the Cross and the empty tomb, so opposite the Word of God, and so opposite the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He magnifies in you the resurrected Christ! It’s not impossible in attaining Christlikeness. It’s not impossible for you daily to choose death to yourself so the resurrected Jesus can be fully released through you.

What did Paul say in Galatians 2:20? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” He then identified a major problem some ‘believers’ find themselves in when in Galatians 3:3 he said: “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh [or your old sin nature]?” He then asked the Galatians as I now ask you: Galatians 4:9, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire to be in bondage again?”

Are you aware that there are those who turn back rather than press in? Are you aware that some “professors” choose the weak and beggarly elements over the God-given provisions of Holy Presence, living promises, and fullness of divine life? It even happens with churches! Listen to Spurgeon: [“Spurgeon’s Sermons,” Vol.19, p.359], “The new plan is to assimilate the church to the world, and so include a larger area within its bounds. By semi-dramatic performances they make houses of prayer to approximate to the theater; they turn their services into musical displays, and their sermons into political harangues or philosophical essays – in fact, they exchange the temple for the theater, and turn the ministers of God into actors, whose business it is to amuse men. Is it not so, that the Lord’s day is becoming more and more a day of recreation or of idleness, and the Lord’s house either a joss-house full of idols, or a political club, where there is more enthusiasm for a party than zeal for God?”

“Is the goal of Christlikeness unattainable?” Yes, if a church doesn’t preach and teach faithfully the Word of God. Yes, if the church promotes and demonstrates worldliness rather than God-likeness. Yes, if pulpits are claimed by unregenerate men who’d just as soon deceive people than preach Truth. Yes, if church members are satisfied with dried-out bread, muddy water, and spoiled fruit!

Poor quality disciples become vessels unto dishonor because devotion to Truth wanes and wanes and wanes – and one then can’t discern a difference between a so-called disciple and the world around him/her. Divided allegiances between half-hearted disciples and the world will not usher in, demonstrate, or validate the very sovereign rule of heaven on earth. Our Lord wants disciples who know His kingdom rule and authority and cry out faithfully: “Christ’s kingdom come, Christ’s will be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven.”

“Is the goal of Christlikeness unattainable?” It certainly is if those professing faith in their redemption in Christ is squeezed in to a vessel that sees no problem if it’s dirty, impure, mixed, callous to the heart of God, compromised at every turn, and not protective of his/her or God’s reputation, certainly not sold out to a pure heart and washed in the blood of the Lamb!

It was Watchman Nee who wrote the book, “Changed Into His Likeness.” [Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Washington, Penn., 1973, p.52]. In it Nee said: “The Church counts for nothing in herself, save as a vessel to bring in Christ. God’s purpose is in the Son.” And if ‘your purpose’ is other than the Son, you’ll never see, sense, or celebrate His Life in you! And then on page 53 Nee really unveiled why many Christians miss out on the blessings from heaven. He said: “God does not only want right things done; He wants us to be the medium of right things that HE is doing.” That means a true disciple is the true vessel that contains the True Savior who does His heavenly work in an available human vessel. If you were crucified with Christ, why are you attempting to do His work? WOW!

Nee then said, “I am afraid this is not a popular thing to speak of. Preach to stir men to more evangelizing, more activity, more sacrifice, and they will listen and agree. But talk about the worthlessness of our work for God, even when it is not sinfully but well done, and we meet with disapproval and misunderstanding. Yet this is the central point in service. Whether we can bring in Christ to be God’s vessel of recovery depends on whether we can get out of the way to make room for Him…Only what He does in us and through us can satisfy Him.”

Do you see it? Our attempts at helping our Lord become major distractions to His working in us and through us. And when we are determined to serve Him through our best efforts, we shut the door to Him! We attempt – we fall short. We go out to serve – and come home empty-handed. We try in the best energy of our flesh, fail, and then question ourselves if Christlikeness is really obtainable! Then we learn: No – it’s not OUR trying but trusting Him to be faithful in His work through us.

That can be a tough place when a strong human will becomes a stumbling block to Christ Jesus Himself! It’s a challenge, I know, to be able to say every day or this particular day, right now, “Lord, I know it’s time I choose an end to myself where You can be in me and through me “My All In All.” But when we’re determined to chart our own course of Christian service, then the Christ in me is forced to a back-seat or a second-place. Do you see it? Extreme self-confidence detracts and even demotes Jesus to a behind-the-scenes watcher! Inflated egos close the door to Christ to do His work, His way, and in His will, but He has not, will not, force Himself in fullness on an empty, brainless, fruitless, “I can handle it, Jesus” kind of devotee!

“Well, I AM GIFTED!!” And they give no place to the GIVER! What does Romans 6:11 tell us? “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Have you failed to grasp what our Lord is telling us through Paul as he wrote in I Corinthians 1:26-2:5? “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 2:1-5, then says: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Self-will, fleshly power and determination shuts the door on the fullness of Christ in us! Oh, but we read in Colossians 3:1-4, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

I know it may be a ‘shocker’ to you, but God is not at all interested in your improvement – we all come up short, so God crucified us all with Christ! Get over your failure, rest in faith, let Christ stand in you as your hope of glory!

Christlikeness is not unattainable when I grasp that God’s desire in me is for me to be an empty vessel in which Christ Jesus is fully welcomed! I Peter 1:6-7 says, noting that the “revelation” we read about is “the unveiling of Christ in us and through us: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation [or unveiling] of Jesus Christ…”

Paul was a travailer in prayer. In Galatians 4:19 he said, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth [pains] again until Christ is formed in you.” He could have said he was travailing until Christ was fully released through you! Oswald Chambers said: [“My Utmost For His Highest,” p.268], “I cannot enter into the realm of the Kingdom of God unless I am born from above by a birth totally unlike natural birth. ‘You must be born again’ This is not a command, it is a foundation fact. The characteristic of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that Christ is formed in me. Immediately Christ is formed in me, His nature begins to work through me.”

How does that come into fruition in your life? You believe, receive, repent, yield to, and walk in Christ Jesus! 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”

Do you see it? Self-energy blocks Christ’s fullness in you! Self-effort is like an earthly dam holding back His eternal supply of All-Sufficient Life, grace, power, love, and His faithfulness to Holy God through us. When Jesus is made Lord of your life, that tells me lordship has switched from self to the Sovereign Lord and Savior of the Cross and empty tomb – and if God raised Jesus from the dead, and He did, so can He raise us out of our state of spiritual death and resurrect us to allow Him to be Himself in and through us!

And because your body, your life, is now the residence, yes, of the very life of Christ, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:1, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Yes, the goal of Christlikeness IS attainable!

I close with statements by Oswald Chambers in his “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.56], “I have to cleanse myself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit until both are in accord with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I insubordinate in intellect?” Am I forming the mind of Christ, Who never spoke from His right to Himself, but maintained an inner watchfulness whereby He continually His spirit to His Father? I have the responsibility of keeping my spirit in agreement with His Spirit, and by degrees Jesus lifts me up to where He lived – in perfect consecration to His Father’s will, paying no attention to any other thing. Am I perfecting this type of holiness in the fear of God? Is God getting His way with me, and are other people beginning to see God in my life more and more? GOOD QUESTION!

CHAPTER EIGHT

“IS IT SELF-MADE TOWERS OR HIS DIVINE HOLY PRESENCE?”

It didn’t take long after the “fall of men” for God to look down and see the following in Genesis 6:5-6, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved ion His heart.” But earlier, in Genesis 5:24, we read of a man that the Word says, “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” What a contrast!

And over thousands of years things haven’t changed that much. There are still those who “give themselves over” to their wickedness, and there are still those who “choose to walk with God.” Without hesitation, I believe God is still “grieved in His heart” because of those who willfully choose to walk as ‘god’ unto themselves and refuse “Amazing Grace.”

But when you come to Genesis 11 and Genesis 12 you begin to see “The Beginning of Confusion” and “The Beginning of Unveiled Purpose.” Confusion can and often does erupt in some local churches among believers. In I Corinthians 14:22-23 Paul wrote: “Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?”

In verse 33 Paul then said, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

The sad truth that grips my heart in 2013 is that far too many folks cannot, will not, have no intention of discerning between ‘peace’ and man-made confusion, yes, even in some churches! “Is It Self-Made Towers OR His Divine Holy Presence?” Have we chosen to live in “peace” or fleshly confusion? Do we choose “God’s Way” or the fleshly rule? Is it surrender to His voice or are most men directed by “the world, the flesh, or the devil”? Is it God’s conversion and His construction of heavenly life in you or is it man’s confusion and corruptness and clouding out of a God-ordained life or church fellowship?

In Joshua 24:14-15 Joshua spoke to the people of Israel and us when he said: “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Do you have an Angel guiding, establishing, protecting, providing for your every need? In Exodus 23:20-25 God speaks: “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perezites and the Canaanites and the Hivities and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. You hall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.”

That is not simply an Old Testament promise to Israel, but when you read Philippians 4:19 you see a New Testament valid promise to men and women of redemptive faith. Paul said: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Isn’t this why David said in Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”? Oh, fallen men may accumulate much, except for what the inner man wants and needs. Worldly men, void of God, remain empty, unfulfilled, and certainly not “blessed”!

Heavenly men? They are an “extension of God’s LIFE,” an “expression of God’s Love,” and “the proof of His never-ending power and glory”! Earthly men? They are as “sounding brass” and “clanging cymbals” with lives and instruments out of tune, off-key, void of a Director, and producing nothing but poor music in themselves and their walks.

In I Corinthians 15:47-49 Paul tells us, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man.” The image of the heavenly man? That’s men of faith and trust and obedience bearing the image and likeness of Jesus Christ Himself because of repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of Christ at the Cross!

This takes us back to Genesis 11:1-9! Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel [Confusion], because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.”

I pray, having been confronted by “self-made towers” or by “Divine Holy Presence” and eternal purpose, that you choose to “walk with God” like Enoch, and that now you eagerly await God’s taking of you into His eternal home.

Notice: “Come, let us…” Where is God in all that? You’ll remember that Adam and Eve, deceived by Satan, thinking that “having their eyes opened, would be like God, knowing good from evil,” all of a sudden realize they had been lied to, and thus, [Genesis 3:8], “hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” And men, in “self-made towers,” are still hiding themselves from the presence of the Lord with most of them not even knowing what they are doing!

“Come, let us…”! You’ve seen them, you know them, you’ve rubbed shoulders with them: “We’re the masters of our own destiny! We don’t need God! We’ll build ourselves and build our own cities, and they will reach the heavens!”

“Come, let us…”! “Who knows better than us what we want to do with our lives? Get this, you Christians: ‘us’ is more than you and collectively we’re smarter than your God!”

“Come, let us…” what we want to build, erect what we want to erect, construct what we decide needs to be constructed to “better our lives.” Really? Better when most are void of eternal purpose, void of a meaningful, blessed relationship with the God who made them, void of any desire of ‘Heaven is my home,’ settling for a hellish relationship that lasts forever with the devil and his demons?

“Come, let us…” live with our uncontrolled, lustful passions, live with our lives enslaved to worldly lusts, selfish ambitions, harmful spiritual diseases that steal true life from us, live dominated by the lies of the world, the flesh, and the devil, bound and enslaved but never recognizing the spiritual chains and spiritual prison bars.

“Come, let us…” leave God out of our ‘life equations,’ because we’re able, we’re strong, we’re mature, we’re wiser than the wisest of that Christian community. The ‘lifelessness’ of godlessness, even in its sickness, is superior to a Godly submission.”

“Come, let us…” savor, cherish, hold onto our independence from God and His ‘unhealthy’ people – we’ll stand alone, on our own, free as a living prisoner can be.”

“Come, let us…” choose our selfish, limited, emotionally limited infancy of life that exposes our hollow hearts, our sinful minds, and our fallen natures that seek to hide us from God’s control.”

“Come, let us…” go on our own way without God, never realizing our steps away from Him produces in us a sad reality like suffocation or drowning or a deathly state of hopelessness that tries to deny, refute, or cover over the emptiness that unbelief in the God of eternal salvation produces.”

“Come, let us…” deny that the sacred nature of human life is more important than the secular and that choosing to walk independent from God is not sickly, deathly, or producing ‘killer’ viruses in us that God calls ‘sin’ or ‘sinfulness’ or ‘spiritual death.’” Really?

“Come, let us…” pump ourselves up in our egos with an unfounded confidence that ‘faith in God’ is unnecessary, unimportant, and really unfounded.” Really?

“Come, let us…” follow our own wishes, hopes, and dreams of anticipation of self-fulfillment that we know will satisfy our fleshly selves, our darkening desires, enabling our true selves to be birthed, raised, and matured to self-happiness.” Really?

“Come, lets us…” embrace a choice of lifestyles that is impurely self-centered, crowning ourselves as rulers over our hedonistic, sexually immoral activity that identifies us with a fallen world in general.”

“Come, let us…” head ourselves in the direction of a worldly happiness that has nothing to do with “Jesus joy” even though He said His joy was a joy that “remains in you and stays full.” Though happiness is fickle and unsure, we’ll gamble ourselves on ourselves to find our own happiness.”

“Come, let us…” live with the bread of our own achievements since the God of the Bible tells His people tribulation awaits His own. We, in the world, live with the fruit of our own labors.”

“Come, let us…” treasure our treasures, gloat over our accomplishments, forget God, lift up our hearts in pride, and set aside His biblical commands.” Oh, but I say to you, please receive Deuteronomy 8:17-18, 19c: “Then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives your power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant…” But if one says, ‘Come, let us…, then in verse 19c God says: “I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.”

Then, I know you’ve noticed in Genesis 11:4, And they said, “Come, let us build…”! Do you grasp who we are reading about in the early existence of human beings, birthed into fleshly life amidst the very handiwork of God in His masterful Creation? But they say, “Come, let us build…” Consider the universes, consider the planets, consider the vastness of our outer space and the beauty of earthly mountain-peaks and valleys, consider the awesomeness of oceans and majestic fields, consider the beauty of fields ready to be harvested, consider the Rose of Sharon, consider what He has built – and remember that Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…”

If you carefully read and receive the Book of Jeremiah, you will discover, not our ability to build, but one’s availability to all God is and to all God does! God told Jeremiah in chapter one, verses 18-19, “Therefore prepare yourself and arise…For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar…For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

Yet, one chapter later, Jeremiah 2:32, God said: “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.”

“Build?” “Come, let us build?” Whatever man “builds” is a futile effort if they do not see, understand, or grasp for themselves what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:13-19! When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Do you understand that man “builds” tombs of death while God, through available men of faith and trust, build tabernacles of Holy Presence?

In Acts 20:32 Paul said: “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified.” Question! What is it to be sanctified? That word means “set apart” to the honor and glory of God alone – and whoever you are, whatever you ‘do,’ is to be or to build to God’s glory! That’s to be your ‘built business’!

But what happened in Genesis 11:4 as the ‘let us’ crowd began to “build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; [and] LET US MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES…” This is in spite of Psalm 100:3 as David said, “Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” “…we ourselves?” That’s those who say, whatever God has done, we can do better. We’ll make a name for ourselves.” But do YOU understand? Whatever you do of merit, the honor belongs to God alone, whether you give it to Him or not! This is why in I John 1:8 John wrote: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

In Isaiah 28 the prophet spoke of “scornful men” who in verse 15 said, “For we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” Then, when you come to Nehemiah 1 you see a ‘vision development’ birthed out of a burden and Nehemiah praying for his people and for their opportunity to once again be favored by God. He wrote: Nehemiah 1:3-11,

And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel, Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept Your commandments, the Statutes, not the ordinances which You have commanded Your servant Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s cupbearer.”

But, hear me; just as Jesus ‘redeemed’ all of mankind at the Cross doesn’t mean all men are forever saved if repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of the Cross is not exercised! Nehemiah was passionate for his people as we ought to be for our people – but some are so intent on “making a name for ourselves,” Jesus is just an option for them that they never exercise! Again, Nehemiah said in verse 11, asking God to listen to those ‘who desire to fear Your name…’! Isn’t it tragic? How many do you know, even IN the church, who fear God’s name?

There’s a warning in Psalm 9:5 where the psalmist says, “You [God] have blotted out their name forever and ever.” And though their name has been erased from God’s remembrance, it doesn’t mean their eternal life is now extinct – they live forever under the curse of Hell’s flames, the devil’s domain, and cannot escape the “death that never dies”!

And then what happened in the fallen nature of men in Genesis 11:4 as they sought to “build ourselves…a tower whose top is in the heavens”? It was 400 A.D. when Augustine wrote the following in his “Confessions”: “How can you draw close to God when you are far from your own self? Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know You.”

Most ‘tower-builders’ do not know themselves and thus have no intimate knowledge of Holy God who longs to “birth” their lives in the Spirit as His earthly dwelling! Most ‘tower-builders’ are stuck in themselves and have no comprehension of God’s ‘tabernacle-dwelling’ in and through their lives. And that’s because their minds and hearts are clouded over concerning the intensity and power of evil.

My son, Stan Fisher, urged me to read Peter Scazzaro’s book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.” In the third chapter, [pps. 42-43], Scazzaro spoke about “The Beast Today” out of Revelation 12, 13. He then said: “The beast tells us: *happiness is found in having things; *you should get all you can for yourself, as quickly as you can; *security is found in money, power, status, and good health; *above all, you should seek all the pleasure, convenience, and comfort you can; * God is irrelevant to everyday life; * Christianity is just one on many alternatives to spiritualities; * there are no moral absolutes; whatever is true for you is what is true; *you’re not responsible for anyone but yourself; and * this life on earth is all there is.

“Tower-builders or tabernacle-dwellings”? You do understand that ‘tower-builders’ choose darkness over light, the here and now over the eternal awareness, physical and earthly dividends over spiritual and eternal blessing, the temporary, fleshly satisfactions that soon disappear, waiting for a bigger and greater ‘hit’ that one received the last time around and still come up empty. OR,

What about tabernacle-dwellings? What did Paul tell us in Galatians 2:20? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me..Verse 21, I do not frustrate the grace of God…!!”

Oh, but then in Philippians 1:19-21 Paul was so anointed in the Spirit as he wrote these words: “For I know that this [imprisonment] will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always, so now Christ also will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

It was Francis de Sale who described the true eternal blessing in Christ as follows: “the mind’s loving, unmixed, permanent attention to the things of God.”

But if you haven’t been seeking after God Himself, be assured that God is in hot pursuit after you. You may, even at this very moment, not be a person who has anchored himself/herself to an inexhaustible search after Him, but be aware He’s ‘smelled’ you and is tracking after you. God’s search is unceasing to make every person a ‘child of the King,’ a son/daughter in the family of God, a servant like Jesus who doesn’t appear to be served, but to serve and give one’s life for the many.

CHAPTER NINE

“FISHING FOR MEN OR A FATALISTIC MIND-CLOSURE TO MEN?”

As I began to write this chapter, I had received word of the death of a son of a life-long friend. The man who died was about the same age as my son, Scott, who is 55 years of age. He had been on a trip to Alaska with his parents and his own family. They had flown in from Alaska to Atlanta and were taking a shuttle service to Chattanooga, Tennessee, near their home in Cleveland to get their cars. They didn’t get out of Atlanta before Scott Hicks collapsed with a fatal heart attack. My friend who informed me of his death said that Scott was sharing his faith in Christ with a man who was traveling on their shuttle – and he said, “Scott shares his faith in Christ with everyone he encounters. This man who had experienced saving grace and mercy and had become a new creation was relentless about sharing the faith, making disciples, and honoring Christ Jesus his Lord and Savior!”

I could not help but think: “What if every true believer understood their ‘calling’ to share the faith with others? What would happen worldwide? But also what has been the result of a ‘fatalistic mind-closure to men’? I’m convinced that as an American citizen of 77 years of age that I have witnessed a down-turn of Christians sharing the faith! I’m also convinced that most pastors and churches have not even begun to equip their people to share their faith with others. In Matthew 4:17-20 Jesus shared His heart with the lost and encouraged His disciples to be “fishers of men.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

There came a ‘moment’ after Creation that God looked upon the men He created and said, Genesis 6:6, “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart.” One translation says God was grieved and His heart was filled with pain. But then there was a Noah who “found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and Noah walked with God.” And ark-building began to rescue the drowning in the sea of their sins!

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was just as much God as if He were not man, and just as much man as if He were not God. And, facing the Cross, Jesus prayed in Matthew 26:39, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not as I will, but as You will,” because He knew and understood the suffering of the Cross was the only hope of man’s redemption, so Jesus suffered, bled, and died in behalf of YOU and me. And that is not a fatalistic mind-closure to men! The ‘spirits’ of fallen men oppose the need of man’s redemption and their response in repentance and faith, but in I John 4:1 we read, “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if whether they are from God,” and FROM GOD there always has been and always will be the call to touch the lost with the message of grace, mercy, and love.

God’s inexhaustible grace and love at the Cross in Christ’s shed blood is indelibly placed at every turn that men need to be saved. Why should any true disciple ever question the equipping of the saints to share their faith with others? Could it be even possible that many who “profess” faith in Christ are really ‘believers’ who are buried in a casket of a false disciple? And I can only ask, ‘Is your Christ-spirituality a consciousness of the need of ‘witnessing to others’ or an ‘illusion’ that makes no sense of responsibility in you and through you?

In Acts 1:8 our Holy Word of God tells us, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES TO ME in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” After Jesus’ death and resurrection, we read in Matthew 28:16-20 about “The Great Commission.” It says: Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen!

Have YOU announced man’s ‘pardon’ by God Himself? The following story entitled “The Strange Case of George Wilson” came from an American Baptist Association Trust: “ In 1829 two men – Wilson and Porter – were convicted of robbing the United States mails, and sentenced to death by hanging. Three weeks before the time set for Wilson’s execution, he was pardoned by President Andrew Jackson…Strangely enough, Wilson refused the pardon. The case went to the Supreme Court (United States vs. George Wilson, 7 Peters’ Report, page 150) and the court finally handed down its decision: “A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it is rejected, we have discovered no power in this court to force it upon him.”…Most people would agree that Wilson was a fool for refusing to accept a pardon. Yet these same people daily reject the pardon which God has provided for them…Because God is just, He must punish our sins, But because God is merciful, He Himself suffered the awful penalty when Jesus Christ, His Son, suffered all the wrath of God against our sins as He died on the cross of Calvary. ‘For God os loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)…Your pardon has been signed by God Himself. Now all you need to do is accept it by telling God in prayer that you are guilty of sin; ask Him to pardon you, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). At the same time you call upon God trust Him to pardon you for Christ’s sake. Do this and God will deliver the evidence of your pardon and you will be released from the prison of sin. Unless you accept the pardon, you remain condemned. “He that believes not is condemned already.” (John 3:18). Wilson’s was a strange case. But then, Wilson was a fool.”

A pardon? A release from sin’s penalty and sin’s power and sin’s perversions? Men set free to be and become all God intends for them to be “in Him”? Adopted out of the devil’s dominance into the true liberty and freedom as sons and daughters of God? No debt due to sin? No bankruptcy due to one’s old nature? No brokenness and sadness due to separation from God? And you don’t have “good news” to share?

In Psalm 32:1-7 David wrote about “the joy of forgiveness,” but you “in Christ” don’t have a song to sing? “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.” [Have you heard God singing over you lately?]. [Have you been singing to Him?].

And in Psalm 33:3 David, yes, spoke of “singing to Him a new song” that speaks of awe-struck wonder because of God’s “fashioning of the heart”! [I remind you that in I Samuel 16:7 the Lord said to Samuel, “…for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”] “The Fashioning of the Heart?” Psalm 33:15 says, “He [God] fashions their hearts individually…” In Ezekial 36:26 we read of God granting to repentant men and women, yes, and boys and girls, “a new heart.” In Hebrews 10:12 and verses 19-23 we read: “But this Man, [Jesus Christ], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…Verses 19-23, Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

“The Fashioning of the Heart?” Acts 16:14 speaks of Lydia whom “the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul,” but you’re unsure the Lord will do the same through your witness to others?

“The Fashioning of the Heart?” Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts…”Do you truly understand your role in touching your world around you with His mercy, grace, and love? Your family, your friends, your city, your state, and nation, needs to know they are loved by God, loosed by God to His ultimate intention, led by God, lifted by God, and liberated into the fullness of Holy Presence in them from ‘doing’ to ‘being.’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” And you don’t have a word to share?

What about a “new song” to sing about our names written down in glory? Do you understand “new wine”? A “new covenant”? Could your lost and “alienated from God’ friends need a “new spirit”? Our Lord promises a “new heart”! Even “new, ripened fruit” can be your inheritance! Are “new tongues” a worthy consideration for a foul-mouthed old man? Don’t you believe the promise of a “new man” births hope in the hopeless? Oh, yes, there is a “new and living way”! SHOW THEM, TELL THEM, ASSURE THEM OF THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD’S PROMISES! In a hellish earth, hellish life, hellish home and family environment, a hellish existence, you don’t have a word about “a new and living way?”

Let the fresh, vibrant, life-giving words of Paul encourage you as you, in convicting fashion, receive what Romans 6:4 tells us: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” How encouraging is Romans 7:4 to you? “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another – to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” And didn’t Paul say in Romans 7:5 that men, when in the flesh [old sin nature], that “the sinful passions…were at work…to bear fruit to death”? But verse 6 tells us that once, having died to what we were held by, NOW we’re at work to “serve in the newness of the Spirit…”?

Could we, should we, be discerning right now that our new-found walk of faith is to be a walk under the control; and leadership of the Holy Spirit? As Paul wrote the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 3:2-6, “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Is it possible that as a new believer in Christ or an aged believer that you have sensed the great need of being empowered by the Holy Spirit to become a valid, victorious witness of saving grace and you, right now, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit that you might truly be a vibrant witness?

Then, in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Paul wrote: “Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech – unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing [or fading] away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

OH, and then look carefully at 2 Corinthians 4:1-6! “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Did the last verse we read say that God Himself commanded ‘light to shine out of darkness, shining in our hearts TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.’? Did Jesus Himself say anything different from what we’ve just read? In Matthew 5:14-16 our Lord said: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

But again in 2 Corinthians 4:7 Paul said, “we have this TREASURE in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” The “treasure” of Christ’s living presence in us, the “treasure” of redemptive truth, the “treasure” of God’s desire that through us, verse 11, “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” AND WE TELL OTHERS! Do all that we tell about salvation believe, receive, and rest themselves in Christ? Jesus said in John 8:47, “He who is of God hears God’s words…” You can be at peace that if you faithfully share gospel truth you’ve done your part.

Prior to His ascension after His resurrection disciples asked Him, [Acts 1:6-8], “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” And Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Oh, and then Jesus was taken up, leaving the sharing of saving grace and faith to His earthly disciples!

In chapter two of Acts the Holy Spirit came! And “this” became “that” which was spoken by Joel the prophet: Joel 2:28-29, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit bin those days.”

And what an encouraging, uplifting, anointed word that we find in Acts 2:25 from David, “I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.” YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF WITNESSING TO OTHERS – THE LORD is at YOUR right hand! Plus, what was instilled within Peter must be instilled in every new disciple! Acts 2:36-40, 47 says: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Verse 47, “…And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

It is vital for you as a born-again believer to examine carefully every situational opportunity that you see the early disciples experiencing. Too often God’s people re uninformed or have overlooked situational witnessing! If, as Peter Scazzero said in his book, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality,” [p.109], that “Unhealed wounds open us up to habitual sin against God and others,” how many do you reach out to who exemplify “unhealed wounds” and “unhealed hearts” and “unhealed marriages” and “unhealed relationships” or even “unhealed churches”?

As you examine Acts 3, the very second verse shows us about “a certain man lame from his mother’s womb.” Remember that Acts 1:1 informs us “…of all that Jesus began both TO DO and TO TEACH…!” And the early disciples learned His lessons and examples fully! Have you?

I remember being in a huge government housing project in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, for a street meeting with Pastor Anand of Apostolic Christian Assembly. The musicians had sung, I had preached, and then I extended an invitation for salvation, for deliverance, or for our Lord’s healing grace. Before me a father and mother came carrying their 8 year old son who’d never walked since birth, in a blanket, laid him down at my feet, and then asked, “Can your Lord and Savior heal our son?” Anand and I laid hands on the boy and prayed, and then said, “Arise, young man, and walk!” Praise God, he did rise and walk.” I’ll never forget his toothpick legs, but then saw, through prayer, God giving him strong legs!

And if that wasn’t a ‘shocker’ enough for us, the very next night another father and mother carried to the front their 11-12 year old son who also had never walked! The same Jesus of the night before touched this young man and gave him new legs – and the family or families of both sons came to salvation in our Lord!

I like to call true disciples “The Appointed and Anointed” of the Lord! In Matthew 10:1 we read: “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirit, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease.” Jesus then said in verses 7-8, “And as you go, preach, [witness, testify], saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE.” [But do you not have anything to share? Maybe it’s time to “be born again!”]

One of the most heart-wrenching stories I’ve ever read about was a Miss Havisham from the novel Charles Dickenson wrote about called “Great Expectations.” The story is about this daughter of a very wealthy family who, on her supposed wedding day, received a letter at 8:40a.m. that her fiancé who was to become her husband that day informed her he’d not be there for the wedding. The story is that exactly at 8:40a.m having received this sad word, stopped every clock in her home at the time of the letter’s arrival, deciding to spend the rest of her life in her wedding dress, plus wearing only one shoe since that was all she’d put on, living that way into old age, choosing to live an unfulfilled past even to her death!

Is it possible some Christians “assume” they are married to Christ yet never bear children of faith? They talk about their wedding to the Lord but never consummated the marriage with holy vows and a holy heart like Him to touch their world with grace. Do you think her story, your story, might resemble Judas? Was his life a life of “wasted opportunities”?

For some, what I’ve just written is so true, but at the same time I would say, “it’s not true of all disciples.” In Matthew 10:16-24 and in verses 27-28 we hear Jesus speaking to us and warning us that witnessing is not enjoying a “nice piece of cake,” but, yes, trouble! Jesus said: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. Verse 27-28, Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” And that’s JESUS SPEAKING TO US!!

There is a serious word in Matthew 10:32-33! Jesus says: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Don’t you find Jesus’ words convicting and challenging? I don’t believe Jesus is speaking only of ‘public confession’ but also private and personal declaration of one’s need of the Savior and Lord of life, sharing with those around you of His love, grace, and mercy, that it was for them also that Jesus died on the Cross, and if they were the only person on the face of the whole earth, what He did on the Cross He would and did it just for them.

Jesus’ words to alienated sinners? Matthew 11:28-30 tells us: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Do you know anyone who “burns the candle at both ends” or “labors and is heavy ladened”? Do you know anyone who needs Christ’s ‘yoke’, yes, needs to be broken from their selfish, uncontrolled, untrained life? Do you know anyone who needs His rest for their souls? Then share the love of Jesus, share what He’s done for you, share what He’s done for your family and friends and classmates or business associates! Fishers of men or a fatalistic mind closure to men and their spiritual needs?

Christless lives are eternal disasters regardless of their earthly successes or lack of them. Christless families living faithless lives are void, yes, even destitute of the Lord’s eternal promises. It breaks my heart to say it, but Christless professors, so wise in the world’s ways, are ‘train-wrecks’ when it comes to eternal relationships and values and true wisdom of the One who made them. I don’t know of a sadder state of life than for one to be immersed in the non-reality for them of faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

If “practicing the presence of God” is vital for true spiritual health in the life of a believer, what about “practicing the presence of needy people” concerning their need of Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior? I’m personally convinced and appalled that too many pastors and churches in America have no awareness at all of what I call “intentional evangelism.” That means evangelism is intentional in all I am, in all I do, even expecting that every day, in all I do, He is reaching out through me to others who need His saving grace and mercy.

When it comes to “fishing for men”, have you considered prayer as a mighty war weapon for who and how we reach the lost, the unsaved, the deceived, the desperate ones who have no hope? In Philippians 1:9-11 Paul said: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” DO YOU PRAY FOR THE LOST?

Consider also your own life situations! Is every event, every good or bad experience just happen-chance – or is God up to something good through you? What did Paul say in Philippians 1:12? “But I want you to know, brethren that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…”

Will you be a servant of Christ who exalts, magnifies, expresses, the beauty and blessing of His saving grace and redemptive acts and glorious work of lost mankind’s salvation? In closing this chapter, look prayerfully at Acts 3:6-9! Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them – walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.”

CHAPTER TEN

“IS CONTINUAL SIN ‘OK’ FOR A NEW OR TRUE BELIEVER?”

I have no hesitation in saying to you that I know this chapter will cause a major ‘fuss’ with some because I grew up in a denomination that says one cannot do anything but sin until he/she goes to Heaven! That, I believe, is a perversion of biblical truth! I sometimes wonder if some ‘devotees’ to the Word of God are simply ‘kindergarten children’ who refuse to grow up, mature, and accept the Word of God for what God says or find it acceptable to claim that Word without its application to their own lives because they are comfortable with a ‘compromised’ profession of faith!

What did Paul say in Romans 6:1-3? “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we WHO DIED TO SIN live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” What an awesome, convicting, life-changing or life-condemning question!

Oh, but it gets better and better! Look at Romans 6:5-7! “For if we have been united together (us and Jesus) in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN. For he [that’s you or me] who has died has been freed from sin.”

These are some of the most liberating words you’ll ever find in God’s Word because you accept Truth that because of Jesus’ death on the Cross and your co-crucifixion with Him you are now no longer a slave to sin and your old sin nature but a transformed slave chained to God through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross!

Look at Romans 6:17-18 and verse 22 and rejoice evermore! “But God be thanked that though YOU WERE SLAVES OF SIN, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Verse 22, But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

John Piper said in his book “A Godward Life,” [p.161], “The old slave master [Satan] pays wages, but God gives gifts,” and then quoted Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Do you understand the ‘mind-set’ that many professing disciples operate by? “The wages of sin is death,” therefore many ‘strive’ to be overcomers of that which Jesus paid the ultimate price for while the revelation of God’s Word tells us, Romans 6:12-13, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” Presenting one’s self to God on the merits of Christ alone, not one’s best effort!!

Are you truly, truly fully aware of 2 Corinthians 5:21? It says: “For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God.” What’s your choice: ‘sinner separate from God or saint set apart as the righteousness of God?’ Oswald Chambers hit a historic ‘home-run’ when he wrote in “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.224], “That Christ died for me, therefore I go scot free, is never taught in the New Testament. What IS taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” [not- He died my death], and that by identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have imparted to me His very righteousness. The substitution taught in the New Testament is twofold: ‘He made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.’ It is not Christ FOR ME unless I am determined to have Christ formed IN me.” Amen? And that is the true battle-front in every believer’s life: Is it me or Jesus? Is it that I want the ‘best’ and the ‘worst’ of me or my conformity to the image of Christ? Am I a ‘slave of sin’ or the servant of the Most High and Holy God? Will I be a victim of continuous sin or a victor because of the finished work of Christ at the Cross and His historic resurrection Presence in me and through me?

I do want you to KNOW without hesitation that the evidence of a spiritually born, new life in Christ, is that you are one man/woman. Boy/girl, who is passionate about Christ having His way in and through you, and His image becomes more real and clear through you! I know it’s a process, a continual activity of choosing the ‘Spirit-Life in Christ’ over the ‘old man, the flesh,’ but I have a biblical promise that never changes: I John 1:7, “If we [I, you] walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

The evidence? Didn’t Paul say that one should “examine himself/herself whether he/she is IN THE FAITH”? And this is so true when one hears Jesus say in Luke 12:35-47 the following: “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But KNOW THIS, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore YOU ALSO BE READY, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, AND WILL CUT HIM IN PIECES [in two] AND APPOINT HIM HIS PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS.”

What did Paul say to young Titus as he wrote to him in Titus 2:11-14? “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

And when you read these verses, do you sense ‘performance’ or one’s position in Christ, that one ‘grinds’ out the faith or is graced, that one earns or is empowered and enveloped in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ? In Romans 5:17 Paul said: “For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more, those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Continual sin? Is that possible if my “life is hidden with Christ in God”? Continual sin? ‘OK’ for a new or true believer? Continual sin? Some say, “What God says is for the future – it really can’t be for the present because I have a love for the flesh, the fallen part of me, and, yes, for my sin, but I know God understands, overlooks, and even excuses what I can’t help but do!” Really? Continual sin? “Well, the ‘gift of righteousness is a future reward, not a present reality.” Oh, really?

If the last paragraph is true, then it means that God’s verdict about our sin that was issued in the very Cross of Christ was a great injustice to the very name of Christ, but it is not! Jesus took your sin and mine, your old sin nature and mine, and we “died” with Him, in Him, and through Him!

What is Hebrews 10:14 all about? The author wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” The author had already said in verse 10, “By that will we have been sanctified THROUGH THE OFFERING OF THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST ONCE FOR ALL.” Glory!

The blood ATONEMENT of Jesus Christ is not to give us a license to sin but our liberation from the tendency to sin! But, when we do sin, because our Savior promised and sent the Holy Spirit to inhabit ALL believers (Romans 8:9), the Spirit will do what? In John 16:8 we read, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

What did Paul tell us in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10? “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

And ‘godly sorrow,’ birthed in us by the Holy Spirit abiding in every believer, arouses within us our failures, our falls, our fickleness, but also highlights God’s faithfulness in forgiveness, and continues to shape us in the very image and likeness of Jesus – conscious sorrow resulting in an appreciation of unconscious God-likeness!

Isaiah 32:13-15 gives us a picture of God’s people apart from the Holy Spirit but then what happens when there is yieldedness to the Spirit’s control. The prophet heard God speak: “On the land of My people will come up thorns and briers, yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; Because the palaces will be forsaken, the bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks – Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest.” And then He said that the peace of God will reign.” Is that true in you?

Let me share several things that I believe are of utmost importance for the true believer in overcoming ‘continual sin’!! Come with me to I Corinthians 9:27! There, Paul said: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

One translation says: “I buffet my body and make it my slave…” I believe Paul is telling us we are not to be blind to our progress or lack of it in being conformed to the image of Christ! If you haven’t learned it as yet, you need to know there is a spiritual war going on – and you do have a part in this!

In I Corinthians 10:1-14 we read: “Moreover, brethren I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the clod and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ,. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

If Christ is your Rock, and you stand on Him, and keep on standing on Him, you are one who understands your completeness in Christ, and that there is a transition of identity – we’re not slaves to sin any longer but sons of God! But, it’s true, sometimes in our journeys as followers of Christ Jesus we do have to have ‘wake-up calls’! In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul wrote to each of us today. He said: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is perfected in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

In “Spurgeon’s Sermons,” [Vol. 19, pps.369-370], Spurgeon preached: “I am quite sure that some people think themselves very strong, and are not so. Their proud consciousness of fancied strength is the indication of a terrible weakness. We have among us ‘certain persons who think that they can do all that is needful for their own salvation’ whenever they please to do so. They can perform all sorts of good works, or at least quite enough to carry them to heaven. Their first idea is that they are to be saved by their own doings; and they really expect to be saved. They may admit that they have a few faults and flaws in their character; but these are so trifling as to be hardly worth mentioning, And God Almighty is too merciful to be very particular. Their lives have been excellent, their tempers amiable, their manners courteous, their spirit generous, and they quite believe that by keeping on at the same pace they will win the prize: if they do not, who will? The ship of their character is in fine condition; they have no leaks which the pumps cannot keep down; their sails are not rent, and they hope to sail into the haven of peace with a glorious cargo of merit, having an abundant entrance, and hearing a ‘Well done!” Ah, my friend! That consciousness of legal strength is a mere delusion, and it will have to be taken out of you. There is no going to heaven that way – by self or by works of self. Your error is a common one, but it is fatal. I have seen many epitaphs of persons, placed by mistaken kindness of friends upon their tombstones, which I felt sure would have been sufficient to shut them out of heaven if they had been true. These departed worthies do not appear to have been sinners at all; their virtues were superlative, their faults non-existent. Such wonderful people would appear from their epitaphs to have flown up to the gates of heaven upon the wings of their own virtues, and to have entered therefore without a passport of mercy, as burgesses by their own right of the New Jerusalem. I wonder how they would behave themselves in heaven, if they were really admitted there! All the rest are singing, ‘We have washed our robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” but these needed no washing, and so they would be likely to strike up a little song by themselves, and sing ‘Our robes never needed washing; we kept them as white as snow.’ What discord that would create in the music of the skies! What a division of character and feeling would be found among the celestials! I cannot see how there could be any harmony of sentiment among sinners saved by grace and righteous ones who owed nothing to mercy, nothing to the atoning sacrifice.” Oh, how truly spoken!

Then, could one be ignorant of the danger of “drifting away”, of “neglecting so great a salvation,” or ignoring the witness of God within or the gifts of the Holy Spirit”? That’s Hebrews 2:1-4! “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

When “self” begins to be supreme, drifting away becomes the end result! When “neglect” becomes a practice, the sea of identity “in Christ” becomes cloudy! When “Spirit-led” becomes weird, then true discipleship has begun to wane! And that leads one to:

TAKING ONE’S EYES OFF OF JESUS OUR LORD AND BEING LED AWAY FROM SPIRITUAL FREEDOM TO DEMONIC BONDAGE! Look with me at Hebrews 2:9-10, 14-15, “ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings…Verses 14-15, Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Subject to bondage?

Jesus even said: “In the world you will have tribulation,” but too many put on “rose-colored glasses” seeing ‘peace and safety’ when there is none! Didn’t we read “that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” but you hear only that ‘peace and safety’ song?

One last thing I want to emphasize in this chapter: Submission to Christ, our Lord and Savior, is not an open door to disobedience which breeds hardness of heart through deceitfulness of sin!! Hebrews 3:12-14 says: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today”, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.”

And that doesn’t put the fear of God in you? Look at Hebrews 3:18-19! “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

I urge you in the days ahead to major on 2 Corinthians 12:7-10! “for when I am weak, then I am strong”? Why? How? That’s eyes off self and eyes only on the Christ within! That’s eyes set, not on your weakness, but on God’s amazing strength and never-failing power! That’s a commissioned journey, not in yourself, but in His ever-abiding presence! That’s an awareness of hopelessness in one’s flesh but eternal hope in God’s Spirit! That’s faith, not in earthly dry wells, but faith in His eternal supply that never runs dry! That’s not awareness of who I am, but availability to ALL GOD IS – always has been, always will be! Amen? It’s not only our consciousness to all God is, but our complete surrender to His Sovereignty and His saving and sure ways!

Is your pilgrimage in Christ one of drudgery, duty, dejection, distraction, or is it discipline, dependence, discernment, destiny, and delight? Don’t forget Psalm 1:1-2! “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates days and night.” Is that your testimony?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“IS ‘ALL STRESSED OUT’ THE EVIDENCE OF A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE?”

My wife, Sue, and I flew into Utah with her sister, Amy, and her husband, Joe Rodgers, to visit our son, Stan, and his wife Leann, and their daughter Katie, and their young families, Mr. & Mrs. Zach Fisher and Mr. & Mrs. Ben Fisher. What a delight! We flew in August 3, 2013, and on August 5 I was reading the news of “USA TODAY”. On the very front page was an article entitled “All Stressed Out?’ with a sub-title: ‘Buy some peace.’ It said, “Cloaked in anxiety, our 24/7 on-the-go nation produces stress-buckets. And, of course, one person’s angst is another person’s business opportunity.”

Then the article introduced Deepak Chopra (?) who said that he never feels stress, because he’s introduced his “Dream Weaver” ‘to aid relaxation, meditation, sleep.’ It’s a business idea – and he’ll probably make a small or big fortune that has absolutely nothing to do with “the peace that passes all understanding.”

In the article Ann Mack stated that “we’re entering the dawn of the super-stress era,” then stated, “since it’s become a cost issue and serious medical concern, you’ll see more efforts to prevent or reduce it. “ The article stated further: “Little wonder in a nation that could be the world’s poster child for stress. Last year, some 7 in 10 Americans said they regularly suffered physical symptoms due to stress, and 67% said they regularly experienced psychological symptoms because of it, reports the American Psychological Association. In a still-recovering economy, it’s no surprise that the top three causes of stress last year were related to money, work, and the economy, reports the APA.” David Ballard then said, “We’re just not very good at dealing with stress.” So, welcome Deepak Chopra’s Dream Machine! Really?

“Buy some peace”? You do understand that there are multiple ways to find a temporary, false, “never feel stress” peace that has nothing to do with the peace with God, the peace of God, or “the peace that passes all understanding” through Christ Jesus!

Thomas Merton has written in his “Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander,” [New York: Doubleday, 1968, p.86], “There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence…activism and overwork. The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence…It kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.”

Do you recognize or even doubt that “stress” is not good, that “stress” is an evidence of absence of the Spirit and Word of God in one’s life? If “stress” is real, and it is, would we even dare consider that God Himself called a ‘Sabbath Rest’ as very good, Genesis 1:31, but some around you, maybe even yourself, truly believe “burning the candle at both ends” is not harmful but holy? I’m afraid for some, I DON’T AGREE!

In Peter Scazzero’s book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality,” [p.170], Peter said: “On every Sabbath, we experience a sampling of something greater that awaits us. Our short earthly lives are put in perspective as we look forward to the day when God’s kingdom will come in all its fullness and we will enter an eternal Sabbath feast in God’s perfect presence. We will taste His splendor, beauty, greatness, excellence, and glory far beyond anything we ever experienced or dreamed.”

What does Exodus 20:8-11 tell us? “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work; you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” So… on Sunday you just do as you please, and ignore God’s holy day? No wonder you’re “stressed out”!

Do you believe that Holy Sovereign God knows us better than we know ourselves, and that His Word about the “Sabbath Rest” is still an absolute essential in our spiritual, even physical pilgrimage? I’m sure it’s why7 David said in Psalm 84:5, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, O God.”

Angelo Patri, in “Redbook,” wrote: “Spiritual power is a hidden power, locked in the silence of the soul. We cannot force it to come at command o0f will. But when in extremity our strength is as water, our will as the sighing of the wind, when we yield all physical being and lean hard on the spiritual strength within us, the soul’s strength rises to assure us as the sun rises over the rim of night…This spiritual strength is man’s inheritance, the eternal power granted him at Creation. It is God’s breath within him. On that strength we can go forward; we can take whatever comes and know it is well with us always.”

What’s the title of this chapter? “Is ‘All Stressed Out’ The Evidence of a Spirit-Filled Life?” I don’t think so! The wiseman of Proverbs wrote in Proverbs 25:28, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” No walls of protection in one’s life breeds “all stressed out”! Earlier, in Proverbs 16:32, the author wrote: “He who is slow to anger is better than the might, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

Could ‘all stressed out’ be true description of one who is “heavy ladened”?” In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labor, and are heavy ladened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” The word ‘laden’ is a Greek word for ‘over-burdened’ or like a cargo ship that sinks because it was over-loaded! It also means ‘loaded up with spiritual anxiety.’

I hope and pray that you saw in the Matthew 11 passage the words “all you…” and “all you who are heavy laden…” and you latch on to Jesus words: “I will give you rest…” Do you understand that that is a divine promise from the lips of Jesus our Lord and Savior and Master of our lives? Then Jesus said: “Come…take…learn…and LEAN” on Him! But I also see and sense in another word of our Lord that when we come, take, learn, and lean on Him that He “gives” – and it’s not only a “rest” FROM one’s heavy load but a “rest” IN CHRIST HIMSELF!

Oh, but then our Lord said: “Take My yoke upon you…” which tells me my rest is not from inactivity but a walk, a work, a willingness to be “yoked” to the Master-Bull who “breaks” me from walking alone in my journey of faith to walking in step with my Lord and Savior!

Do you realize how easily frustration with your circumstances and fretfulness in your situation can disable a fruitful walk with your Lord? Shutting down is the dominance of our flesh, and, yes, even demonic activity to feed off of our weariness, our wilting, our warped spiritual activity and identity ‘in Christ’! But the question of the moment is: HOW HAVE I ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN? I’ll look with you at seven sources or roots:

FIRST, “STRESS” COMES BECAUSE OF A TROUBLED MIND. In 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Paul speaks of “not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or word or letter, as if from us…” which in context related to the ‘rumor’ that the ‘day of Christ had come.’ But the reality is that many are “soon shaken in mind or troubled” about many, various, different situations and circumstances – and it births various forms of even sickness: emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual!

To Titus Paul wrote: [Titus 1:15]. “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.” Do you understand “vainly puffed up by [one’s] fleshly mind”? And if pride goes before a fall, maybe one needs to examine his/her fleshly mind activities!

Paul gives us all valuable words of wisdom when in Philippians 2:5-11 he wrote: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

A spiritual mind-set is extremely important, I believe, to every day “set your Mind” in direction to, dependence upon, and devotion set to honor the Lord today, through you, His honor, glory, and praise! If that is an unimportant spiritual discipline, then it’s easy to experience a shriveled soul, a parched devotion, a flooded day of preoccupation with one’s “feelings”: rather than full faith and fellowship, and, yes, even distractions of eye-set and mind-set!

In Colossians 3:1-2 Paul challenges us all: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” How challenging is that?

SECOND, “STRESS” COMES BECAUSE OF A DIVIDED HEART. In Psalm 81 there is a sad but deliberate admonition from God concerning His own people Israel. God Said: Psalm 81:8-16, “Hear, O MY people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied them.”

The passionate prophet, Hosea, heard God speak from a broken heart when He looked upon His own people, Israel. In Hosea 9:10-12 we read: “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, and separated themselves to that shame; they became an abomination like the thing they loved. As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird – no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception! Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!”

And, then, in Hosea 10:2-4, we read why it happened then and why it happens now: “Their heart is divided; now they are held guilty. He will break down their altars; He will ruin their sacred pillars. For now they say, “We have no king, because we did not fear the Lord. And as for a king, what would he do for us?” They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field.”

The word ‘divided’ means “divided in loyalty”. I don’t know how you read spiritual times and seasons in church life in your nation, but “divided in loyalty” is, sadly, an ‘in-time’ evaluation of church life in America – too many ‘Christians’ on Sunday would rather ‘play’ than pray, wilt, rather than worship, gad about rather than give God the sacrifice of Praise, even when God says: “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy!” DIVIDED HEARTS!

THIRD, “STRESS” COMES THROUGH AN OVERLOADED STYLE OF LIFE. And that can be because of one’s true devotion to Gods and the opposition that arises against devoted followers of God. When Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation,” the flood of tribulation can be overwhelming at times. In Psalm 69 David cried out to God with an urgent plea for God’s help in David’s time of trouble! Psalm 69:1-18 says: “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overwhelm me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God. Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they are mighty who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully; though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it. O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You. Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother’s children; because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate speak against me, And I am the song of the drunkards. But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, hear me in the truth of Your salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the floodwater overflow me, nor let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth on me. Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. And do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble; hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; deliver me because of my enemies.”

FOURTH, “STRESS” COMES BECAUSE OF A SPLIT FAMILY OR A FAMILY SO ENGROSSED IN ITSELF THEY STIFLE OUT GOD, AND WHAT THEY CONSIDER “GOOD” FOR THEMSELVES BECOMES A GRAVE OF THE HEART.

In Micah 6:8 the Word says, our Lord speaking, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, [or lovingkindness] and to walk humbly with your God?” It doesn’t get any better! In Micah 7:6 it says: “For son dishonors father, daughter rises against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.” Could that be sons against a father or a father against his own flesh and blood?

It was Horace Bushnell who once wrote: “A house without a roof would scarcely be a more different home, than a family unsheltered by God’s friendship, and the sense of being always rested in His providential care and guidance.”

In Titus 1:11 Paul wrote: “…whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain…”Whether an unstable or stable family, both are subject at times to false teachers who would undermine faith, trust, obedience in families.

No doubt this is why Peter, in Acts 3:25-26, wrote or spoke the following, yes, to ‘stressed out,’ stifled, starving families today: “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you, first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning every one of you from your iniquities.”

We know God established family life in order that families might “be fruitful and multiply,” that man might, together with mate and children, experience and enjoy God’s blessing, to picture up close Jesus and His precious body of believers, to instill parenting as a tool to, yes, reveal the very heart of God, to reveal mutual dependence upon Him whether parent or child, to establish, train, mature, and bring children up “in the training and admonition of the Lord,” and to exhibit in small form the large, very Body of Christ Jesus!

In America, and no doubt the rest of our known world, there is an assault on Godly family life. There is prevalent, right now, an infectious spiritual disease that is out to decay, disintegrate, and deplete Godly husbands and wives and Godly fathers and mothers. “The thief is out to kill and destroy marriage and family.” Yes, even in America, right now, there are those in governmental powers nationally who believe their ‘state’ powers are more sacred than families – they want to rule over, control, and direct6 your children to trust them more than they trust God or parents! And families are being split at a rapid pace!

FIFTH, “STRESS” COMES BECAUSE OF A CORRODED LOYALTY: I pray that I can say this without being harsh, super critical, or mean-spirited, but a corroded loyalty to our Lord is the under-pinning of corroded loyalty in the home and family. In fact, a corroded loyalty, I believe, is because of ‘false liberty’ one has professed in a Christian marriage ceremony as one who desires to honor Christ, and has ‘professed’ to a church congregation that same ‘false liberty’; therefore, loyalty to the Body of Christ quickly or slowly deteriorates.

A test of loyalty always emerges in a disciple’s life, in a pastor’s life, in a church’s life and relationships and responsibilities, in a family’s close relationship and responsibility, and, yes, even in a business! And when corroded loyalty has run its course, “stress” breaks out like an infectious disease! Loyalty is because of love, not love because of loyalty. Jesus proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners He died for us!

Corroded loyalty is evidence one has forgotten “crucified with Christ”! In Oswald Chambers’ “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.228], he wrote after quoting Galatians 2:20, “These words mean the breaking of my independence with my own hand and surrendering to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me3 up to the point 365 times a year, but He cannot put me through it. It6 means breaking the husk of my individual independence of God, and the emancipating of my personality into oneness with Himself, not for my own ideas, but for absolute loyalty to Jesus.” Tell me! In you, right now, this very moment – are you standing in absolute loyalty to Jesus or has your loyalty been corroded?

SIXTH, “STRESS” IS BIRTHED BY THE SEED OF A COMPROMISED ETHIC: In John 6:60-71 we read a heart-wrenching story of defection from Christ. It says: Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to Him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered them, Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.”

A safe description besides “a compromised ethic” would be “the internal assaults” on the Savior and His people. I don’t believe our Lord and Savior was ever overcome in any way by a compromised ethic or the internal assaults, but I assure you that there are numerous believers who’ve been overwhelmed by that “stress”! “Will you go away”? because of oppositional forces to your faith? “That’s a tough word, Jesus”! “That’s an offensive word, Lord”! “That’s exposing our prejudices, Master”! “That’s contradicting and compromising for us what we really think, Jesus”!

Have you ever heard an unbelieving husband berate his ‘sold-out’ wife for her devotion to her faith and church family – and see her begin to back off? Have you ever witnessed a “big boss” come down hard on a few employees for their “stand” concerning their Savior and see them go silent fearing a loss of their jobs? Have you ever sat through a condemning session by a university professor that threatens devotees of our Lord – and they become like dunces in a corner of the class? Have you seen the end result of the ‘party’ class of young people to side with godless fraternity brothers or sisters and become totally delinquent as to a stand for the eternal faith?

Deceivers, denouncers, yes, demonstraters against biblical faith can call out that response of a compromised ethic, but at the same time some “feed” on trash and not the treasure of God’s revealed Word and they starve the soul – the bread of life is substituted for foul crumbs trying to survive on a spiritual starvation diet!

And, “God, help us”! a compromised ethic is often the end result of a poor choice of friends – some are swayed to evil rather than a biblical ethic by carelessly associating with immoral men, loose women, or lewd conversation that darkens not enlightens one’s conscience and convictions.

In “Mrs. Browning,” Elizabeth Barrett Browning, wrote: “The Soul Travailing,” [pps. 80-81], about the “stress” of ‘traveling vainly.’ She wrote: “Always! Always! Must this be? Rapid Soul from city gone, Dost thou carry inwardly What doth make the city’s moan?…Must this deep sigh of thine own Haunt thee with humanity? Green visioned banks that are too steep To be overbrowsed by the sheep,…May all sad thoughts adown you creep Without a shepherd? – mighty sea, Can we dwarf Thy magnitude, and fit it to our straightest mood?…O fair, fair Nature! Are we thus impotent and querulous Among thy workings glorious – Among Thy fullnesses that still Leave us vacant and defiled,…And wailing like a kissed child, Kissed softly against his will? God, God! – With a child’s voice I cry, Weak, sad, confidingly – God, God!…Thou knowest eyelids raised not always up Toward Thy love (as none of ours are) droop, As ours, over many a tear!…Thou knowest, though Thy universe is broad, Two little tears, suffice to cover all! – Thou knowest – Thou, who art so prodigal of beauty – we are oft but stricken deer, Expiring in the woods – that care for none Of those delightsome flowers they die upon!…O blissful mouth, which breathed the mournful breath We name our souls! (self-spoilt!) by that strong passion Which paled thee once with sighs – by that strong death Which made thee once unbreathing – from the wrack, Themselves have called around them, Call them back Toward Thee in continuous aspiring!…For here, O Lord, For here they traqvel vainly; vainly pass From city pavement to untrodden sward,…Where the lark finds her deep nest in the grass Unswept of its last dew! – Yea, very vain The greatest speed of all these souls of men, Unless they travel upward to Thy Throne! There sittest THOU, the satisfying ONE, With blood for our sins, and holy perfectings For all requirements – while th’ archangel, raising Toward Thy face his full ecstatic gazing, Forgets the rush and rapture of his wings!”

SEVENTH, “STRESS” ERUPTS IN THE VOLCANO OF A WOUNDED SPIRIT: In Proverbs 18:14 we read, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”

A broken spirit is one who has been exchanged at a loss for an impoverished spirit! There is nothing proud for one to brag about when a wounded spirit bankrupts one’s faith, one’s devotion, or one’s dependence upon God for healing grace in a time of trouble. Most, rather than looking up, are now looking in – and wounds birth an overwhelming attitude of “poor me”!

Grasp what Jesus was saying in Matthew 26:41 when He said: “Watch and pray, lest YOU enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

I want to close this chapter with a letter I recently received from “Circuit Rider Ministries,: the support arm for Andy and Rebecca Brink’s on-going ministry of the Faith. Rebecca wrote THIS letter, yes, about “stress”. I called Andy and Rebecca and asked if I could print it in this chapter – they were glad to! Here it is: [Their address? PO Box 6241, Tyler, Texas, 75711 – phone #: 281 – 755 – 4030], and if you don’t know, their 7^th child will be birthed soon!! Are YOU ready? Rebecca wrote:

“Well, I would love to say that having another baby on the way has just been a breeze as if I have this thing down by now, but it just hasn’t quite worked out that way. There haven’t necessarily been any real complications, but man has it been hard not to sink into a major funk over the little things: -/ I have thought many times while unable to move due to utter exhaustion, “I am getting way too old for this!” I have been so easily frustrated when the kids are just being kids, and it’s not simple and easy…as if having kids is EVER simple and easy?? I think I literally spent the entire first trimester either wanting to throw up, cry, or just crawl in bed and sleep for weeks, hoping it would all magically be better when I woke up. I kinds though I had a legitimate “bone to pick” with God, that by number 7, I should have had some sort of right of passage into an easy pregnancy. I felt pretty justified in my way of thinking, until it was clear He was not being a team player. Well, then I was just plain mad! I sort of felt like I had been tricked into this deal, and the road ahead seemed impossibly long and weary. So I am going to be brutally honest here because this story has a GREAT ending!…

So, flash forward to my second trimester and you will find me in the depths of self-pity over how hard my life seemed, barely functioning from complete exhaustion (thinking FOR SURE something was wrong with me)…and only FIVE more months of pregnancy to go. Ouch! I finally had a chance to get away one weekend with some dear friends and spent the whole first day crying, wondering why this pregnancy still had to be so hard. I mean, the second trimester is supposed to be a breeze! I was desperately needing God’s grace, strength and encouragement, but was too mad at Him to ask for help[. Everyone that weekend was so sweet and attentive, but I just felt kinda numb inside. After dinner the first night, a dear friend spoke up and shared with the group something she had recently learned about Psalm 46:10. Well, some of you may remember from the last newsletter that that was the exact verse that had so impacted me the year before: “Be still and know that I am God.” My ears kinda perked up as she shared, and I began to try and let His Word penetrate my heart…

The word “still” in that verse literally translates as follows: “to cease from striving, to lay your hands down, letting God intervene in your situation without your interference.” As my friend was sharing this, I felt my heart beginning to soften. I was also struck that evening by a song that was shared. The words went something like this: “I’ll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered…all I am is Yours.” Those words began to chip away at the hardness of my heart. Later that night, in the privacy of my room, I began to lay it all out before the Lord and genuinely ask Him for His help. I realized that when Andy and I had “abandoned” ourselves once again to God’s sovereignty, trusting that this new life He had given us was a part of His plan, I had an expectation that God would be so pleased, that He was just going to lay out a bed of roses for me to relax on for the next nine months! (Mistake #1). I was horrified that things were actually harder on me than they had ever been before, and that there might be more difficulty and suffering ahead: – / All of a sudden, I could see my heart so clearly…I was willing to “abandon and surrender all” as long as there was no inconvenience to me. And as long as it all made me feel and look good, I was all in! But to think that you can step out in faith and choose to trust Him for something hard, and then suffer for it??? I wasn’t up for that one. (Mistake # 2), Then I remembered Daniel and his faithfulness and commitment to God, and what did he get for it? A trip to the lion’s den, with an unknown outcome! He had no idea that God had a great purpose in Daniel’s suffering, and was prepared to send His angels to protect him that fateful night, but Daniel sure didn’t know it. He had already calculated the cost to his life, but it was worth it to Daniel…I guess the real question is, was He worth it to me? Did I really want to give the Lord everything, so that I could sing the words to that song without feeling like a complete hypocrite? “I’ll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered, ALL I am is Yours!” Really? Even if it means more children? Even if it means less money because it has to stretch over so people? Even if it seems like I will NEVER get to enjoy a day of rest and relaxation without rearranging the entire universe so that all seven children are cared for in my absence? And for what? Why do I have to abandon and surrender anyway? My wrestling match with God!…

“Be still and know that I am God” continues to take on deeper meaning for me as I am learning to cease from striving when things get hard. For those of you that have had children, I am sure that at some point during childbirth classes, someone told you that you have to relax during contractions or they will be entirely ineffective, making your labor much more painful. Our midwife always has to gently remind me at the end when things are beyond tough, to let even my facial muscles relax throughout the pain so that my body can get it over with faster and easier. It sounds crazy, but it has totally worked! And I can tell you, in the very same way, that this pregnancy was so much harder than it had to be for me because I spent the first five months of it tense, frustrated and angry. When I literally chose to surrender, lay my will down, and trust that this whole thing is working for my good, my body began to respond well and it got so much easier! I went from not being able to get off the couch, to actually feeling pretty good and excited about the whole ordeal! Now did my troubles vanish? Not any more than the pain of childbirth, but there has been a special grace to get through it much easier! The incredible thing about the pain of childbirth is that when you think you cannot take it another second, that little life is right around the corner. And when that baby arrives, the pain is forgotten and totally worth it. What a perfect picture!” AMEN? THANK YOU, REBECCA BRINK!!

CHAPTER TWELVE

“IS ‘SALT’ AND ‘LIGHT’ THE REDEEMED ONE’S TRUE CALLING AND MISSION?”

As Matthew 5 opens, in Verse one, it speaks of “His disciples came to Him,” and then Jesus began to teach them. And I want you to contemplate so seriously the words that our Lord spoke to them and us in verses 11-16! “Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so the persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

In Luke 6:22-26 Dr. Luke gives us a broader picture of both true and false disciples when he wrote: “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

It would do you well to spend months in the four Gospels learning not only the Life of Christ but also the lives and ministries and troubles and heartaches of His true disciples. Did you catch, were you shocked by, was self-examination the result of reading our Lord’s words in Luke 6:26? “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

This chapter is not to be an examination of false prophets but it does amplify for us His “true prophets” and the clear evidence describing them is “persecution for righteousness’ sake.” Has it not dawned on you yet a fallen world’s despising of the message of Christ Jesus? Our Lord and Savior became the ridicule, abuse, and slander of even the religious crowd of His day, but the identifying mark of false prophets was their extreme popularity!

Jesus never said that His disciples would find a world awaiting their ministries and rejoicing with them in what they had to say. In fact, in John 15:18-25 Jesus said: “If the world hates you, you know that i9t hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept Mt word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

And before our Lord’s betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane, He had gone aside to pray. John 17 is Jesus’ passionate prayer for His disciples right before a religious crowd in a diabolical frenzy with the soldiers arrested Him, bound Him, and led Him to Caiaphas who told the Jews that it was advantageous if one man should die for the people! John 17:6-19 tells us: To the Father our Lord prayed: “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You, Holy Father, keep through Your name these whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Hear me! Being true to Christ and His word and His mission means a world ‘out there’ will declare an unholy war against you, your family, your fellowship, and the more loyal you become in your commitment to Him alone the greater your opposition!

What did Jesus say in Matthew 5:11? “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.” Was Paul on target when he told Timothy in his letter to him, 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” And, then, in Acts 5:41-42 we read: “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

But there is an encouraging word for all true believers in Romans 8:16-19! “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”

Then, a heavenly word follows for us in Romans 8:31-39! “What then shall we say to these things? If God id for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Now, FIRST QUESTION: “IS SALT THE REDEEMED ONE’S TRUE CALLING AND MISSION?” What do we read in Matthew 5:13 as Jesuis says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

And, I wonder, does ‘salt’ lose its saltiness when it’s never sprinkled on what it has the potential to preserve, influence, add a better taste to? Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says of ‘salt’: “To sprinkle, impregnate or season with salt, as to ‘salt’ fish, beef, or pork…To fill with salt between the timbers and planks, as a ship, for the preservation of the timber.” Do you see it? A ‘ship of life’ but no ‘salt’ as a preservative; a ‘ship of faith’ but no salty influences; a ‘ship of proclamation and testimony’ but no salt to capture the pure taste of our Lord and Savior!

Genesis 18:16-19:24 is an awesome lesson about the saltiness of God’s people. Sodom was spared for a time because of ‘salty’ Lot in its borders. And in Genesis 18:26 the Lord said: “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” Do you grasp why America hasn’t fallen yet? Oh, it’s been grievously wounded, it rests at a place of desperation this very moment, but God “SEES” the righteous few and withholds His judgment!

In Exodus 32 we find Moses looking upon “the people of God” and he saw them “unrestrained,” verse 25. Moses called out at the entrance of the camp: Verse 26, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side – come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.” But judgment fell upon 3000 of the people that day. More were ready to die, but Moses intervened! Look at Exodus 32:30-35, Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.” So the Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.”

That’s not the end of the story of salty grace and mercy! In James 1:27 we read: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” You do know how “spotted” your world is with immoral activity, in the lowering of biblical standards of holy behavior, in making dishonesty a public norm rather than a disgrace, of promoting impurity and ungodliness as an acceptable pattern of life, of advancing deliberate temptations to sin and violate even the laws of God, of wiping out, of tarnishing the righteous rather than the unholy, of promoting the unprincipled as leaders of our nations, of abusing the Ten Commandments as illogical, ‘off-the-wall’ suggestions, of disdaining biblical truth as that which helps ‘monkeys’ not people!

Oh, there’s more! Esther! What a story! Esther’s husband was the king, and Esther’s people came under the king’s judgment, and many were slaughtered! Mordecai came to Esther to inform her that she would not escape any more than all the other Jews, and she had to take a stand. Is that being ‘salt’?

Mordecai told Esther, [Esther 4:4], “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” And Esther responded: “If I perish, I perish.”

Does that speak to you and you in your nation, in your family, in your school, in your community and state, in the time of the lowering of standards, in the time of betrayal of marriage oaths, in the time of bosses or employees going under-handed betraying ethics, morals, laws, or truths of God’s Word? Does ‘salt’ preserve from corruption, deceit, incest, dirty jokes? Is a disciple of Jesus a “cleansing agent or remedy” for a people who are about to be destroyed by bad, yes, evil choices?

And I don’t know about you but I love “salt” on my summer-grown garden tomatoes! WOW! What a flavoring miracle! Do you hear it around your kitchen table? “Pass the salt, please.” And that’s to be a believer’s life, his/her testimony, even a gift of saltiness in the Spirit-realm to flavor a tasteless life!

I love what Oliver Wendell Holmes had to say once, “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers.” Preachers, pastors, parishioners aren’t to be offerers of ‘death’ but announcers of ‘life’, of ‘saltiness,’ of ‘blessings’ – not a dark, dead, dismal curse! A depressed world needs divine salt, divine joy, divine peace, and divine usefulness with an eternal taste – not a savorless life, or a savorless ministry, or a savorless marriage, or a savorless man! “God, help us!”

In “Tennyson’s Works,” Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote: [pps.3-4], “O God! My God! Have mercy now. I faint, I fall. Men say that Thou didst die for me, for such as me…Patient of ill, and death, and scorn, and that my sin was as a thorn Among the thorns that girt Your brow, Wounding Your soul. – That even now,…

In this extremist misery of ignorance, I should require a sign! And if a bolt of fire would rive the slumbrous summer noon While I do pray to Thee alone, Think my belief would stronger grow! Is not my human pride brought low? The boastings of my spirit still? The joy I had in my freewill All cold, and dead, and corpse-like grown?…

And what is left to me, but You, And faith in You? Men pass me by;- Christians with happy countenances – and children all seem full of You! And women smile with saint-like glances Like Your own mother’s when she bowed Above You, on that happy morn When angels spake to men aloud, And You and peace on earth were born…

Goodwill to me as well as all – I one of them; my brothers they; Brothers in Christ – a world of peace And confidence, day after day; And trust and hope till things should cease, And then one Heaven receives us all.”

That was written before 1892! Do you understand a redeemed man’s true calling and mission? ARE YOU SALT? But also a redeemed man’s true calling and mission is not only his spiritual saltiness but the reality of heaven’s LIGHT! Matthew 5:14-16 says: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It is absolutely so amazing to me – I become awe-struck every time I read it or hear it when I know that Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” This is why in I Thessalonians 5:5 Paul said, “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.” He told the church at Ephesus, Ephesians 5:8, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

To the church at Galatia, Galatians 1:15-16, Paul said that it was the very “pleasure of God” to separate Paul from his mother’s womb, call him through His grace, for the purpose and plan of “revealing His Son in me,” and in you! If you haven’t heard, haven’t understood it, having received it as yet, your “old man” was “crucified with Christ; it is no longer I [YOU!} who lives, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God.” That’s Galatians 2:20-21!!

In Christ, you and I, children of faith, are vessels, containers – and every day we are to choose death to ourselves that the resurrection Light and Life of Christ might shine through us. That’s Luke 8:16 where Jesus said: “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter [or those you encounter] may see the light.”

You’ll remember that Jesus told the people of His day about the witness of John in John 5:35, “He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.” And have you fully absorbed Peter’s testimony in 2 Peter 1:16-19? “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came down from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

“Dark places – shining lights!” “Dismal circumstances – a shining Light!” “Defeating darkness – overcoming Light!” “Downcast spirit – uplifting Light of glory, honor, and praise!” “Doom and gloom attitudes – songs, singing, and shouting the Light of our Savior’s glorious praise!”

True light is seen, true light is radiant, true light reveals, true light exposes, true light overshadows, true light enhances and encourages, true light warns and illuminates dangers, true light glorifies God!

William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible Series on Matthew wrote: [p.122], “One of the old historians wrote of Henry the Fifth after the Battle of Agincourt: ‘Neither would he suffer any ditties to be made and sung by the minstrels of his glorious victory, for that he would wholly have the praise and thanks altogether given to God.” The Christian never thinks of what he has done, but of what God has enabled him to do. He never seeks to draw the eyes of men to himself, but always direct them to God. So long as men are thinking of the praises, the thanks, the prestige, which they will get for what they have done, they have not really even begun on the Christian way.” SOBERING WORDS!!

The only significance to your life is the Light of Christ within you – all else is sinking sand of selfish insignificance! If your life does not radiate the Life of Christ within it’s like ‘a boundless ocean of existence’ without eternal meaning and mission!

Darkness? Self-enhancement! Light? Christ-honoring! Darkness? A little dishonesty! Light? Living in Truth! Darkness? No sympathy! Light? Mercy and grace and kindness! Darkness? Self-promotion! Light? Self-denial to honor Christ alone! Darkness? Reckless abandonment to one’s sin nature! Light? Complete surrender to our Lord’s Lordship! Darkness? An incapacity to walk faithfully, holily, righteously before God! Light? One faithful unto death and crowned with the Light of Life!

Light? O.D. Kretzman, D.D., in the “Illinois Medical Journal,” once wrote: “If we are to survive the atomic [nuclear]age, we must have something to live by, to live on, and to live for. We must stand aside from the world’s conspiracy of fear and hate and grasp once more the great monosyllables of life: faith, hope, and love. Men must live by these if they live at all under the crushing weight of history.”

Do you understand the chaotic darkness of godless lives? And are you blessed by those God-filled lives of light and liberty and the love of God? I love what Philllip Brooks once said: “Be such a man, and live such a life, That if every man were such as you, And every life a life like yours, This earth would be God’s Paradise.”

What about St. Irenaeus, in “Adversus haereses, V, who wrote: “The Word of God, Jesus Christ, on account of Hid great love for mankind, became what we are in order to make us what He is Himself.” “Glory!”

In John 1:14-16 we read awesome words of heavenly intent for the “salt and light” folks of redemptive faith, full surrender, and awesome transformation: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.”

W. Russell Bowie, in “The Chaplain,” [December 1960] wrote: “The doctrine of the incarnation is no unrelated speculation. It is the truth by which we find God, and are found by God, both in the common times, and the times of crisis. It says to us that the glory of God can be revealed in the little place and in the everyday event, as it was in the earthly life of Jesus; and it makes us trust that the divine redeeming purpose cannot be killed by the evil which may crucify it, and that in the love of Christ the power of God stands by us even when the world is dark.” GLORY AGAIN!

“Salt and Light” for me are the seeds of God’s everlastingness, the living fruit of His eternal vineyard, the healing touch of His grace of transformation, and the blessed flood of immortal living in His holy presence.

“Salt and Light” for me, because of our Lord’s saving grace, and His eternal mission, is the evidence of His indestructability of the Spirit-man and his role in touching God’s chosen with mercy!

“Salt and Light” is God’s “academy awards” not of fiction but the fact of eternal salvation and your participation in it. “Salt and Light” is God shining, unveiling, revealing the birth of immortality for all men if they but repent and put their faith in the finished work of Christ at the Cross!

“Salt and Light” may have as its stage appearance the dim but darkening reality of a man’s separation from God, but its second and final drama is reconciliation with God, regenerated by God, and a renewal into God’s eternal intent for your life in Christ!

“Salt and Light” are a modern-day Job’s statement of faith and reason and revelation that “I know that my redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” [Job 19:25-26]

“Salt and Light” are the thoughts of eternal “rest”, eternal “restoration,” and eternal “consolation,” that says though earthly life was brief, eternal life in Him is forever!

“Salt and Light” are living hopes beyond the shadows of earthly dreams. “Salt and Light” are abandoned clothes in a casket because of absence from the body is presence with the Lord.

“Salt and Light” has a ring of nobility to it because to be in Christ is to be a part of a new creation that honors, blesses, and praises God and worships the King.

“Salt and Light”, white and bright, are those radiant colors of eternal hope, given to us that does not make us ashamed but continually blessing our Lord and being blessed.

“Salt and Light”, reminders of sins forgiven, the Savior present, the Spirit ruling, and Holy God being praised. “Salt and Light”, the great open door to our eternal home, the gathering of all the saints past, present, and future – and rejoicing in the angelic chorus at the throne of God as we all bow, adore, praise, exalt, and celebrate the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

“Salt and Light” – night and darkness are behind us and day and light ever before us, never diminishing but intensifying in our Lord’s eternal glory. “Salt and Light” – yes, it’s the heavenly language of our Lord and Master who tells us our value and worth is discovered as we look to His cross and resurrection.

“Salt and Light” – Joseph Addison, in “Cato,” [Act V, Sc 1] wrote: “The stars shall fade away, the sun himself grow dim with age, and nature sink in years, But YOU shall flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the war of elements, the wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.” Why? In Christ, through Salt and Light, you have become a part of a new day, a new way, a new heaven, a new life, a new future!

“Salt and Light” – an anonymous author penned these words: “Think of stepping on shore, and finding it Heaven! Of taking hold of a hand, and finding it God’s hand, Of breathing new air, and finding it celestial air, Of feeling invigorated, and finding it immortality, Of passing from storm and tempest to an unbroken calm, Of waking up, and finding it HOME.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“ARE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS BOUND OR BLESSED BY OLD TESTAMENT LAW?”

It was four years ago, 2009, that I had had printed in India my book entitled: “Dangerous Trends From The Denouncers Of Truth.” In that book the thirteenth chapter is entitled: “The Grace of the Law – A Necessary Revival.” I’m including that chapter in this book as another question: “Are New Testament Christians Bound Or Blessed By Old Testament Law?” In Hebrews 2:14-15 the author said: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself [Jesus] shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” And the fear of death is more than, yes, the fear of the devil, but even the fear of the broken law of God! Are you ‘bound up’?

If you’ve ever heard the statement, “We are people no longer under the Law but people under Grace!”, then you need to immediately pause, thoroughly examine the scriptures, and then respond to either the truth or error of that statement. There is a need, especially in America, for a necessary revival – THE GRACE OF THE LAW.

Without the resurrection of the grace of the law in this country, our nation will not survive these decades of decadence and immorality. God will not allow us to do so. Those who “take His name in vain” and bow down to the gods of their depraved flesh “will suddenly be broken and that without remedy.” In Matthew 5:17 Jesus is very clear: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”

The truth is that the law of God is either being fulfilled in you, through the presence of the indwelling Christ, or you find yourself under the Lord’s judgment because you are walking according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit! In Romans 3:31 Paul asks a vitally important question: “Do we then nullify the Law through faith?” (Then he answers his own question), “on the contrary, we establish the Law.” That word “establish” is translated from the Greek word “his–te–mi”, and means “to make to stand.” Because I’m a disciple of Jesus, I have become one who is to ESTABLISH again the law of God; I am to be one who MAKES TO STAND forever that which God requires; I am to be one who abides ‘in the Law,’ not in order to be saved, but BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN SAVED! Submission to the law of grace or transgression of that Law is the benchmark of either my obedience or my rebellion to Holy God!

In Ezekial 36 a prophetic picture is painted by the Lord. It is a picture, not only of those in Israel, but of the Church of the last days. Read carefully verses 17–31. What is God saying about that new, bold covenant that would see its fulfillment in Christ Jesus? Note especially verses 25–27: “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols, (see also Colossians 3:5). Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”

There is a new Law now! In Romans 8:2 Paul says it is “the Law of The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.” And then he says that as a result of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, our Lord has done what? He “has set you free from the Law of sin and death.” I grew up singing an old hymn, “Free from the Law, O happy condition!” It was not until later that I finally learned it was not freedom from the Law of God, but freedom from the Law of sin and death! Paul clearly states, in agreement with the previously mentioned words of Jesus, in Romans 8:3, that “[God] condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Jesus issued a strong warning in Matthew 5:18–9: “For truly I say to you, until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall b called great in the kingdom of Heaven.”

There are some who “keep” and don’t “teach.” There are some who “teach” and don’t “keep.” But our Lord says we are to be those who “keep and teach” even the least of the commandments. Sadly, today, our nation, and even our churches, have bought into a teaching that we are “free from the Law of God.” The result has been devastating! The Law of God has become a strange thing. Some church members will even get angry with you when you read the scriptures that the requirement of the Law of God is to be fulfilled in them! Ask me how I know!

In Hosea 8:12, speaking of Israel and prophetically of last days churches, God says: “Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of my law, they are regarded as a strange thing.” In Hosea 4:6–7 God called the nation of Israel to accountability, and He’s doing the same today to “religious America,” the nation that is “supposedly one nation under God.” Listen to what He says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I will also forget your children.” Several years ago, my son, Scott, wrote an article entitled The Law of God Today. Let me quote from that article: “We are living in the midst of one of the greatest times of apostasy in the history of the world. Paul warned us in 2 Timothy 3:1 that “in the last days difficult times will come.” He went on to describe these difficult times in the following verses: “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Many teach that this is a description of the condition of the world in general during the last days. If that is true, what is so unusually different about that as compared with any other time in history? Unregenerate men have always lived that way! The tragedy of this passage is that PAUL IS DESCRIBING THE LAST DAYS CHURCH!” And Scott spoke the truth!

As one reads through the Bible, it becomes very clear that God hates sin, in fact, He says, “the wages of sin is death.” But today the church is sending a confusing message to the world. As revelations of sexual immorality in the form of pornography, adultery, and homosexuality among preachers become a common occurrence in the national and local media, the church preaches more loudly than ever “the unconditional forgiveness of God.” The message of the gospel has been lowered to a “bumper–sticker theology” that says, “Christians aren’t perfect – just forgiven,” and so they keep on sinning.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been neatly packaged into “Madison Avenue” slogans and phrases to make it more palatable to the masses, the goal being to present the “good news of God’s forgiveness” in a ”positive” non–offensive manner. All reference to man’s absolute depravity and his status before God as a sinner condemned to death apart from repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus alone, is completely ignored, and even labeled as harsh and unloving. A man like Robert Schuller can make the following statement and still be recognized as one of the leading evangelical ministers in the entire world! “I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counter–productive to the evangelism enterprise than the often CRUDE, UNCOUTH, AND UNCHRISTIAN STRATEGY OF ATTEMPTING TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THEIR LOST AND SINFUL CONDITION.”

It is not crude, uncouth, and unchristian to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition! It is not crude, uncouth, and unchristian to make the church aware of sin that leads to death! I guess Schuller doesn’t appreciate Jesus saying that if He hadn’t come they wouldn’t have known their sin! They have forgotten what James said – or they make light of it and say it doesn’t really say what it says. But it does! James 5:19–20, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Please hear me, the grace of God, the marvelous, matchless grace of God is not an excuse for sin. Grace is not licentiousness but liberty. Grace is not a frivolous teaching allowing you to flirt, court, or get into bed with any sin your heart desires. But grace is that fiery teaching of liberation and freedom emancipating you to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age.” (Titus 2:12). In I Timothy 1:5, Paul tells Timothy: “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” And that’s God’s desire for His people. Notice Three Things:

First, LOVE FROM A PURE HEART.

Look at Psalm 24:3–5, “Who may ascend unto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Living in the presence of Almighty God is conditional!

In Isaiah 59:1–2 the Lord specifies the consequence of sin upon our relationship with Him: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.” But remember that Ezekial 36:26 reveals God’s provision for His people – “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you.” And what was the evidence of a new heart and spirit? “By My Spirit, you’ll keep the Law in your heart!” In fact, Galatians 5:14 says, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

There is no pure heart apart from a new heart. In the New Testament the same message is born out in I John 2:3–6, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him, the one who says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same manner as He walked.” And how did Jesus walk? He walked in heart purity! He fulfilled, established, made to stand, the Law of God.

Second, A GOOD CONSCIENCE. The Word has much to say about conscience. In I Corinthians 8:7 Paul issues a warning about conscience, “a conscience being weak is defiled.” That is why Paul challenged Timothy in I Timothy 1:19, to maintain a good conscience. In I Timothy 3:9, he again challenged his spiritual son to hold “to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” And I assure you that the mystery of godliness is not being held onto in a lifestyle of law–breaking!

In I Timothy 4:2 Paul speaks of men who “by means of hypocrisy of liars seared in their own consciences as with a branding iron.” A seared conscience? There is no doubt what it is, it is those who violate the Law of God and feel no qualms about it – outside the church and within it, sometimes even in the pulpit! But there is hope! Hebrews 9:14 says, “how much more will the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

The prophet asked, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” In Luke 6:46 Jesus asks, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ yet do not do what I say?”

Third, A SINCERE FAITH. Does that mean there can be an insincere faith? Of course it does! But what is a sincere faith? Romans 3:31, once again, “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law [of God]!” Do you understand that? An insincere faith? In I Timothy 6:3 Paul describes it as “anyone who advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness.” A question – did the Lord Jesus set aside the Law of God or did He intensify its demands? I read a review of a supposedly “Christian” book in an India newspaper by a doctor of theology there. There was a quote from his book that said, “Jesus hated the Old Testament Law.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading. It was another confirmation of what the prophet Jeremiah called “the lying pen of the Scribes.”

In I Timothy 1:8–11, Paul instructs us in the purpose and proper use of God’s Law. He says: “But we know that the Law is good if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”

Look carefully – “realize the fact that the law is not made for a righteous man.” A righteous man? I John 3:7 says, “Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” There is by the grace of God an imputed, credited, declared righteousness through our faith in Christ that is real! But the deeper truth is, that imputed, credited, declared righteousness becomes the consuming passion of a man’s life, he’s not a play–actor (hypocrite), but a participant in the fullness of Christ’s indwelling Life. A “righteous man” is one who has been swallowed up by Life – one who has been clothed with His dwelling from Heaven. That’s Jesus, who fulfills the Law! And the man “in Christ” is the man indwelt by and overflowing with the spirit and attitude of Jesus, “I do always those things that please My Father.”

There are many who say, “Jesus is my Lord and Savior,” but it’s a matter of the head and lips, but not of the heart; it’s a matter of culture and convenience not commitment and consecration; and it’s often a matter of family tradition not a living, life–changing, vibrant, all–consuming passion and faith! In Matthew 7:21–23 Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of the Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Listen with your heart to Romans 6:19 if you are a Law of God violator! “I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For first as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in your sanctification.”

I wonder why these verses are seldom read in many churches today? Look at the warning from John found in I John 3:4, “Everyone who practices sin also practices ; and sin is lawlessness!”

To practice lawlessness brings a curse and separation from God! Paul tells us in Galatians 3:13 that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. Not though, REDEMPTION IS FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, NOT THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW! Galatians 3:14 continues, stating that through Christ we “receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The Spirit? The promise of the Spirit? Through faith? In Acts 5:32 the Word emphatically states who can receive the Spirit of God: “And we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Look at Abram – he’s a pagan living in Ur of the Chaldees. He’s called out, chosen by God, and found faithful. His name is changed. The “AH” out of YAHWEH is added to signify his relationship with Almighty God. His life is changed, he receives the promise of the Spirit, and lives a life of obedience and submission to God. In Galatians 3:17 Paul says, “What I am saying is this: The law, which came 430 years later…” Why 430 years

later?

Because there was that long and unusual period in the history of God’s people when they walked in faith and obedience. It was not true in man’s early history! Genesis 6:5–6 says of the generation that was destroyed bt the flood, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually; and the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart!” There’s the flood and a Noah. Then in the sovereignty of God, He looks to Ur of the Chaldees, to pagan Abram, and raises him up to bless him and to make his name great and to bless through Abram all the families of the earth! For 430 years there is a new spirit and attitude in the hearts of men toward Holy God! Then comes the Law! Why? Galatians 4:19 asks and answers the question: “Why the law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator until the seed should come to whom the promises have been made.”

Look to Galatians 3:21, “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be!” Now please look back to I Timothy 1:8. It is highly critical for your understanding, and mine. “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully.” How does one use the law of God lawfully? Whenever there is lawlessness and rebelliousness, the law of God must be upheld. Whenever there is a compromise with the unholy and the profane, you must uphold the law of God. Whenever there is immorality and sexual perversions, the law of God must be upheld. Why? The Law leads us to Christ! In Galatians 3:24 Paul says, “Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith.”

I want to quote again from Scott’s article “The Law of God Today.” “Jeremiah prophesied of the New Covenant that would be fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Jeremiah 31:33, h said, “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.” In Hebrews 10:15–16, after stating that the Holy Spirit bears witness to us, Jeremiah 31:33 is quoted as applying to us, “I will put My law upon their heart.” In Psalm 40, a Messianic Psalm, Jesus says in verses 7 and 8, “Then I said, Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Your will, O My god; Your law is within My heart.”

The New Covenant that we have in Jesus Christ leaves no room for lawlessness; instead; the promise we have is that He will give us A NEW HEART, a heart that DESIRES TO DO HIS WILL. In Ezekial 36:26–27, we are told, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.”

Rather than resisting the true nature and character of God by justifying our rebellion, we are to have a heart like David, who said in Psalm 119:97, “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Israel had a law written on tablets of stone that God said was not too difficult for them to keep. We have the law of God written upon the tablets of our hearts and the Holy Spirit living within us to cause us to desire to do His will; that is why the writer of Hebrews warns us in Hebrews 2:3, after reminding us that every transgression and disobedience by Israel received a just recompense, ‘how shall we escape (judgment) if we neglect so great a salvation? We are without excuse!”

THE GRACE OF THE LAW – A NECESSARY REVIVAL BECAUSE:

Number one: MEN DON”T KNOW THEY ARE SINNERS!

There must be the necessary revival of the Grace of the Law because there are multitudes in sin and they don’t even know they’re sinners in danger of the eternal judgment of God! There was a French evangelist who said on an occasion of a deep burden over the lostness of man to a friend: “Oh, I wish I could find a sinner; I’ve got such good news to tell him.” The friend responded: “Find a sinner? Why, the world is filled with them.” And the evangelist answered: “I know, but it’s one thing to be a sinner and quite another to know it!”

Listen to Paul in Romans 7:7–12, “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the law; for I would not have known about coveting if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment producing in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the law sin is dead. And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; and this commandment which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me. For sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. So then the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good!” Examine Romans 3:20b,

“For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.”

Isn’t it convenient that our nation’s courts have seen fit to remove the Law of God from hanging on the walls of courts and schools? Do you realize how rampant the violation of the Law of God is across the world today? And there must be a “voice raised in the wilderness declaring – Make His paths straight!”

*“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23

*“Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Matthew 7:23

* “I have seen a violent, wicked man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil. Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found. Transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.” Psalm 37:35–36, 38.

*”Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her repentant ones with righteousness: But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, and those who forsake the Lord shall come to an end.” Isaiah 1:27–28.

* “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15. That’s not a good thing!

The Grace of the Law!

Number Two, MANY CHURCH MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THEY ARE NO LONGER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SIN.

There must be a necessary revival of the Grace of the Law because there are multitudes of churches filled with many people who truly believe they are no longer accountable to the Law of God, and even feel they are free to continue in sin because they believe they couldn’t do otherwise until they get to heaven! Yet, that is not the testimony of scripture or the truth of Christ’s triumphant victory over sin at Calvary! To the woman taken in adultery before Jesus, after her accusers left, said to her after forgiving her sin, “Go and sin no more.” That was also Paul’s challenge to the church at Corinth. In I Corinthians 15:34 he said, “Become sober–minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God; I speak this to your shame.” I pray that as a disciple of the Lord that you will be mastered by the truth of Romans 6:12–22. It is truly one of the most liberating passages in all the Word of God. Remember Jesus’ words in John 8:32, “and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!”

Look with me at several verses from Romans 6:12–22:

*6:12, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts.”

*6:14, “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law (of sin and death), but under grace!”

*6:18, “and having been freed from sin, you became servants of righteousness.”

*6:22, “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit (grace, the Word, the Spirit) resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.” (Read also Romans 8:12–14!)

In I Peter 4:17–18 the Word declares that “it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved (and it is), what will become of the godless man and the sinner.”

A number of years ago, I was pastoring Highlands Baptist Church in Ocala Florida. On a Sunday morning there was a handsome, striking couple that visited our fellowship. They signed a visitor’s card indicating they lived in the apartment complex across the street from the church. As usual, I visited all visitors the following week. I was not prepared for what I learned. This man had been a well–known pianist for churches and quartet ministries across the U.S. and Canada. I learned that the woman was not his wife, but that they had met and “fallen in love.” He left his wife; she left her husband and children. He informed me that before they made their final decision to break up two families they sought the counsel of “leading pastors” in the U.S. and Canada, and had been encouraged to “follow your hearts.” I was stunned! I paused! Then I excused myself, but asked the man to come by my office. The next morning he came. And with smiles on his face he asked me, “Well, Pastor, what do you think?” I didn’t have to think! I pointed the “finger of God” in his face and said, “Sir, you are an adulterer. I don’t care what your ‘leading pastors’ had to say, you are a lawbreaker. If I believed what you and those pastors believed, I’d close my Bible, close the doors of this church, and tell all the people to go home – it’s all a lie. But it’s not, and unless you and that woman repent you are both going to Hell along with those false prophets who counseled your rebellion to the Law of God. And, sir, until you repent, you are not welcome in this church.” I then walked out the church door and left him standing in the foyer in shock and dismay. He never came back. But a year later, 2a.m. in the morning, I got a long distance telephone call. There was a man on the other end weeping. He gave his name. It was the adulterous gospel piano player. He said, “Farrell, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You were the only man to tell me the truth. By the Word and the Spirit and your testimony, I finally saw the truth. I was convicted. I repented. The relationship was broken off, and by the mercy and grace of God my marriage has been restored. My wife and I would like to come to Ocala and tell what God did in our marriage. He’s even given us a ministry to hurting couples and troubled marriages.” He came – and we were blessed! I later saw him on national television playing the gospel of Christ piano and music with the countenance of Christ all over him!

Number Three, THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE. There must be the necessary revival of the Grace of the Law because this nation has lost sight of the “divine intent” of truly being one nation under God. Proverbs 14:34 states: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Abimelech, king of Gerar, asked an interesting question in Genesis 20:4, “Lord, will You slay a nation?” He has in history, and He will also do so to our nation, unless our nation repents and returns to righteousness!

Deuteronomy 32:28 describes our nation today, “For they are a nation lacking in counsel, and there is no understanding in them.” Verse 29 says, “Would that they were wise, that they understood this, that they (as a nation) would consider their latter end or discern their future.” Listen to David in Psalm 9:15–20, “The nations have sunk down in the pit, which they have made; in the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught. The Lord has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. The wicked will return to Sheol, even all the nations who forget God. For the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever. Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged before You. Put them in fear, O Lord; let the nations know that they are but men.”

In Isaiah 1:4, the Lord prophesies to Israel of their decline, and it is so applicable to America today, “Alas, sinful nation, people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, sons, who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord! They have despised the Holy One of Israel! They have turned away from Him!” Bill Bennett, former secretary of education and drug czar has written a book entitled “The Devaluing of America.” It should be read by every school board member in America. At one of the Republican conventions he made this statement, “There is a FRAYING of the social fabric of this great nation!” That’s true, but more than that, there is a fraying of the spiritual fabric of this once great nation! The garment of faith and obedience to Almighty God is being rent in twain from top to bottom! How does it happen?

Study Psalm 2. Look carefully at the first two verses! “Why are the nations in an uproar, and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed.” Then in verses 8–12, look at the end result of that! Don’t miss it! “Ask of Me and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall shatter them like earthenware. Now, therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, lest He become angry, and you perish in the way. For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

The Lord said to Samuel (I Samuel 8:7), “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.” We saw in the beginning of this third theme how (Proverbs 14:34) “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Let God bring conviction to you over the spiritual condition of our nation – and let’s pray together for genuine revival!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“ARE TEENAGERS, YOUTH, UNMARRIED YOUNG ADULTS FREE FOR ROMANTIC SLEEPOVERS?”

Again, when my Sue and I were in Park City, Utah, for about 12 days, August 3-August 15, 2013, I read another “USA Today” newspaper with an article entitled: “Let Teenagers Have Their Romantic Sleepovers,” with a picture of Angelina Jolie in 2001 with her mother, Marcheline Bertrand. It stated that when Angelina Jolie was 14 years of age, her boyfriend had been allowed to move in.

The article was written by Amanda Marcotte. She wrote: “While state education boards across the country are still embroiled in a debate over whether to even accept the realities of sex before marriage, in the real world, widespread acceptance of premarital sex and cohabitation has opened up a debate about whether parents who still have kids in the house should let them have romantic sleepovers or even let boyfriends or girlfriends move in…In 2011, Angelina Jolie shocked her fans with the news that she had lived with her boyfriend when she was 14, and that she planned to be just as liberal in the living arrangement department as her mother was. When the shock wore off, two years later, Henry Alford in “The New York Times” opened up the possibility that such a move might even be the smart one for parents and kids. It might even improve relationships between them.”

Amanda Marcotte then spoke of these “trends” as that which, she believed, was “reflective of a larger shift in American life,” which is true because the larger shift is a greater disgust of the Law and Word of Holy God. “Let’s take the Ten Commandments off the walls of our legal centers, schools, homes, and, yes, even churches – we just might offend somebody!”

Amanda Marcotte wrote: “The old-school parental claim that their offspring should never have premarital sex under their roof is yielding to a more accepting attitude about their growing and grown children’s sexuality.”

“The real world”? Yes! Enemies of God and His Truth, enemies of holiness and righteousness, enemies of the call to pure hearts and cleansed souls, enemies of anything or anyone that suggests we have a call from God to obey His Word, enemies of anyone who challenges sexual immorality is an offense against Lord God Almighty and a violation of His covenant-law and even His covenant-grace!

We live in a time period of American history of “misplaced, lost, and buried shame”! Shame over known-sin has been shed just as shame over lust, license, and the dark moments of adultery and fornication have been denied! It’s as if a former ‘stable society’ has given over to lawless claims of liberty and freedom to do as one pleases failing to recognize spiritual anarchy!

I do want you to know that I believe there is a time, there is a place, there is a ‘line’ that can be crossed – and when it’s crossed, Holy God will shut that door of opportunity to turn to Him – and judgment is birthed! Adultery, abortion, and, yes, animosity toward the God of Calvary’s love – and they shake their fists in defiance of God and His Word – and turn inward on themselves to satisfy their shameless lusts!

Do you remember Judges 17:6? “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Isn’t that true for a significant number of American citizens including many youth in our culture? And a word of warning from God’s Holy Word is essential here and now! Proverbs 17:15 says, “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

Are you aware of how much justification of wickedness goes on in America today? Yes, even in the White House and presidential quarters day after day after day – and there will come a time when they stand before Holy God to give an account of their words, their deeds, their actions that shame His Word, His gracious deeds, and His atoning actions!

And promiscuous young people today? In “Aurora Leigh” Elizabeth Barrettt Browning wrote: “I felt so young, so strong, so sure of God,” but many youth have said by word and deed, “I feel so free to do as I please, really, so weak morally, but I’m a believer,” and deceive themselves in a licentious fashion indulging their fallen flesh to express their independence, believing they are unrestrained by God or His Word, by parents, by their school leaders or teachers, and they become loose in thinking and deeds when in reality they strap themselves tighter and tighter in fleshly and demonic bondage.

In Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1,13-14 we read: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’ Verses 13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: ‘Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

I want you to grasp, young people, that liberty in Christ is not a license to Sin! There are those who will excuse your sin, give you false feelings of assurance as you sin, and even take advantage of you in participating in your sin. But neither in them or you yourself is there any genuine spiritual life at all if you bow before the American idol of sexual immorality!

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus speaks: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practices lawlessness.’”

John Piper wrote: [“A Godward Life,” p.256], “the evidence of being savingly known by Jesus is to be an evildoer no longer, that is, to have righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. Religious zeal and even miracle working do not prove a new heart of love.”

Do you ‘profess’ a marriage to Christ or look forward to a wedding to come? I think about those youth, the collegians, young adults, who have been ‘reared’ with no holy revelation, or of youth who’ve had great moms and dads, but are totally untethered to anything that godly parents taught them – oh, but they do ‘profess’ Jesus as they “call their own shots,” “determine their own way, deny discipleship demands, and even say, “I acknowledge You, Lord, but when it comes to sexual preferences, I’ll do as I please.”

But look at Matthew 22:2 and verses 10-14! “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son.” Verses 10-14, “So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Are you unaware of the lack of holy wedding garments in one’s marriage to Christ? Wedding garments? Wedding garments in the spiritual, heavenly realm? No heavenly wedding garments – no marriage to Christ! Have you, young people, overlooked Titus 2:14? “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

I don’t hesitate in saying to youth and to adults that broken vows of honoring Christ through illicit, immoral sex-capades, deface and defame the precious picture of a Savior who washes our sins as white as snow! And forgiveness IS granted through the shed blood of our Lord, IF we accept His Word, “Go, and sin no more!”

Why was God’s law given? Romans 3:20 says, “…for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” And by the Cross and the shed blood of the Lamb of God the guilt of sin is washed away! Paul went on to say in Romans 3:21-26, “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God sent forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Faith in Jesus is not a license to continue in sin, but liberty from the very power of it! And a young person who has embraced sexually immoral behavior, longing to be free of its curse and condemnation, repents and keeps on repenting, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of his/her faith, and establishes, not impure, but pure relationships with one of the opposite sex.

I don’t have to tell you that there are always consequences to broken laws of God, consequences to broken precepts of holy living before the Lord, and scars that often remain like a bad dream you can never forget. And the devil will surely remind you of what he believes is your unworthiness to receive God’s forgiveness. But it’s there, and there forever!

God is a good and gracious parent. In Hebrews 12:6 we read, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

That’s not ‘jail-cell’ confinement imprisoning you as punishment, but an act of heavenly correction. In Hebrews 12:10-11, we learn what His conscientious purpose and plan is: “For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Young people, ‘painful’ correction or discipline spiritually is a high and holy calling AND ‘privilege’ but Jesus said in John 12:26, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me,” and the attitude of our Lord concerning Father-God? In John 8:29 Jesus said: “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, FOR I ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM.” What a calling! What a mission for your life, young person! What holy privilege – “don’t cast your pearls before swine!”

There is no blessing in a scheme of law of God rejection or a personal pursuit of satisfaction of sexual tendencies that declares one guilty of breaking, defiling Holy Law in the pursuit of self-satisfaction of one’s “glands”! Again, John Piper wrote: [“A Godward Life,” p.119], “If you love God’s good gift of sexuality, take a stand for treating it like precious gems rather than common gravel. Guard it in the velvet-lined safe of steel commitment. Don’t strew it on the street or in the press.”

I pray that every young person in America would memorize Psalm 1! I believe a huge youthful transformation would occur concerning their response to youthful sexual immorality. Psalm 1 says: “Blessed is the man [the young person] who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

But I also believe that as Timothy, young Timothy, received counsel from his spiritual elder, Paul, if young people today would receive Paul’s words, a deepening of true faith would occur and a great respect for honoring God with the bodies would become a holy, heavenly reality! In 2 Timothy 2:19-22 Paul wrote:

“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

I want you to know, young person, that it is God’s desire, His heart and passion, to redeem young men and young women but it is not His intent to celebrate your depraved decisions that satisfy your lusts and clashes with His Truth!

In James 3:13-17 the brother of Jesus wrote: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

John saw the “holy city,” the “New Jerusalem” in a vision in Revelation 21. And God spoke to him in verses 7-8 saying: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Hear Jesus, young people – don’t turn a deaf ear to our Loving Savior and Lord! In Revelation 22:12-19 Jesus said: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Do you remember Joseph, the youngster, who honored God? In Genesis 39:1-9 there is an awesome example for youth today!! It says: “Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and he served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had put under his authority. So it was, from the time he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

I want to share a word from Josh McDowell from his book, “Beyond Belief To Convictions.” He said: [p.166], “God is so passionate about his relationship with us and our kids that he has personally – and miraculously – provided the inspiration of his word, supervised its transmission, and repeatedly reinforced its reliability so that all those who have open eyes and open hearts may believe it with assurance and conviction. Nations may have rejected it, tyrants may have tried to stamp it out, heretics may have tried to distort it, but the evidence of the Bible’s reliability is sufficient to assure us and our kids that it has remained a true reflection of reality – of who God is – and that it is “stronger and more permanent than heaven and earth,” [Luke 16:17]. Moreover, an examination of how God has meticulously and miraculously protected the integrity of His Word will impress us and move us with the depth of God’s love for us and His faithfulness toward us.”

Oh, youth, young people, those caught in a cruel trap of self-indulgence and sensual, sexual ‘pleasure’ – it is out of the very pit of hell to steal from you marriages; greatest gift for a husband or a wife – the gift of sexual pleasure untainted but celebrated on a wedding night and for untold years to come! Oh, understand it, grasp it, hold out for it – the gift of purity, saved for your wife, saved for your husband!

In sexual relationships there is a high mountain of the very glory of God in your marriage, where the armies of Satan celebrate and get their “fix” in every diabolical sexual perversion! If you’re there, you are “feeding” the demons! And most youth have never been told they “entertain” demons unaware!!

Has the ‘voice’ of shame deceived you, blinded you, deafened you? Has a fallen society so corrupted you that you cannot begin to hear God’s passionate voice about fighting the fight of faith? Has even a divided, deceived church community ‘brain-washed’ you that pre-marital sex is no big deal? Are ‘common-place’ professors violating you with ‘uncommon,’ ‘evil,’ ‘fleshly’ thoughts about what’s normal to them – immoral, perverted lifestyles?

Too many youth are garrisoned by the godless and consider they’re OK to do and be what their fatalistic friends do and are! Too many youth are entrenched in the norm of a fallen society producing in them a spiritual stagnation, refusing to even LOOK God’s Way! Too many youth are “comfortable” with a Christless crowd where their dispositions become boxed in to immoral living, sexual perversions, illicit activities, so guiltily playing “the fool” with their souls.

Oh, youth, “you must be born again”! Of, youth, “you must be born of the water of God’s Word and born of His Holy Spirit”! Oh, youth, Jesus loves you and wants YOU to be His Bride! Oh, youth, Jesus must increase and you must decrease! Oh, youth, recognize that you were crucified with Christ, yes, YOU, 2000 years ago! Your old sin man died on the Cross with your Lord and Savior! There’s forgiveness, cleansing, reconciliation, renewal, residency with your life His home on earth!

What does Isaiah 45:22-25 tell us, young people? “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come. And all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.” How does: “shall be justified and shall glory” sound to you?

I do care about where you’ve been by the choices you’ve made and what you’ve done by the choices you’ve made because there are consequences, yes, good and bad – but more importantly the Word tells me, yes, that God Himself is so pleased when one youth turns to Him!

In Acts 26:12-19 receive the testimony of Paul! “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”

Oswald Chambers wrote in his “My Utmost For His Highest” valuable words for the understanding of every young person. He said: “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” Our Lord said, in effect, to Paul – Your whole life is to be overmastered by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine. I HAVE CHOSEN YOU!!”…When we are born again we all have visions, if we are spiritual at all, of what Jesus wants us to be, and the great thing is to learn not to be disobedient to the vision, not to say that it cannot be attained. It is not sufficient to know that God has redeemed the world, and to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did effectual in me; I must have the basis of a personal relationship to Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim, he was brought into a vivid, personal, overmastering relationship to Jesus Christ. Verse 16 is immensely commanding – “to make YOU a minister and a witness.” There is nothing there apart from the personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person not a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s, he saw nothing else, he lived for nothing else. “For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

What about you, young lady? What about you, young man? To Whom or to what do you belong?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“HOW WILL YOU PLEAD?”

Have you ever witnessed a court-room scene when someone is being arraigned for a crime and the judge asks, “Mr. So & So, HOW DO YOU PLEAD?” Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says of “arraign”: “To call or set a prisoner at the bar of a court, to answer the matter charged against him in a indictment or information. When called, the indictment is read to him and he is to plead guilty or not guilty and to elect by whom he will be tried.”

Before the judgment bar of Holy God, how will YOU plead? Before the judgment bar of Holy God, who do you choose to be your advocate? Before the judgment bar of Holy God, what’s the case you lay out before Holy God? Think about it! Why?

In Romans 2:1-3 Paul wrote: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Paul said to the Corinthian congregation in 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”

Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Peter had a challenging word to every man. In I Peter 4:14-19 he wrote: “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

Oh, I do like what Anthony Hoekema wrote in his book, “The Bible And The Future,” [Grand Rapids: Wm.B. Eerdman’s Publ. Co., 1979, p.259], “The failures and shortcomings…of believers…will enter into the picture on the Day of Judgment. But – and this is the important point – the sins and shortcomings of believers will be revealed in the judgment as forgiven sins, whose guilt has been totally covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

And I know this is why David wrote in Psalms 19:9-10, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

But pity and pray for those who see the finger of God writing over their judgment page the word “TEKEL”, [Daniel 5:27], “You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting.”

When I married my wife, Sue, she was of the Methodist persuasion, and still is! There’s an old Methodist hymn with these words: “Are you ready? Are you ready? Ready for the Judgment Day? When the saints and sinners shall be parted right and left – Are you ready for the Judgment Day?”

And do you remember Julia Ward Howe’s words in the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”? “He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat, He is sifting out the hearts of men before His Judgment Seat”? Oh, think about it! Press in to it! Have you heard the arguments?

ONE, “I’M A RELIGIOUS MAN”!! But I’m not ashamed to bust that bubble that that man based his life upon because ‘religion’ has never “REDEEMED” any man! Do you really differentiate between ‘religion’ and what Jesus said, “You MUST BE BORN AGAIN, born of the water of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit”?

Religion began in the Garden of Eden! Genesis 3:7 says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; AND THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGETHER (“FIG-LEAF RELIGION”) AND MADE THEMSELVES COVERINGS.”

That’s man-made creations! That’s religious invention that has no intention of being reconciled to God God’s Way! From “Confusionism’ to Hinduism to Islam-ism, that’s men’s intent on doing their own thing in their own way, deciding for themselves what makes them look good before a ‘god’ they claim to know.

Religion has been confronted by Christ as empty of redeeming merit! Do you remember Nicodemus, a religious man, a spiritual guru of Judaism? We read about him in John 3:3-11!! Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what we know and testify what we have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.”

Do you remember Paul before King Agrippa because of the Jews’ condemnation of him after his conversion to Christ? In Acts 26:5 we read, “They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our RELIGION I lived a Pharisee.”

But was he “saved,” was he “redeemed,” was Paul at that time, under Pharisaical religion saved? NO!! I remember Major Ian Thomas of England speak of those who are “awakened souls, but unregenerate in spirit.” SO TRUE!

Religion may awaken a soul to some form of conscience but it cannot transform into a “new creation.” Religion may excite with mandates of some shades of truth but it doesn’t, hasn’t, and never will lead to DIVINE TRUTHY except by the shocking awareness of religion’s EMPTINESS! Have you heard it?

TWO, “I LIVE BY THE GOLDEN RULE.” Do you realize how that flies in the face of God?

If the “golden rule” is redemptive, then why did God decree “the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world”? If the “golden rule” is regenerative, then why the Cross of Christ? If the “golden rule” SAVES, then why did the SAVIOR SUFFER? If man’s initiative transforms, then why the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ? If you’ve determined that all you need is to live by the “golden rule,” then you’re the goose that is about to be cooked because all you can lay are brass eggs, trying to pass off as “golden,” when it’s only “fools’ gold.”

Golden rule mentality, spiritual mentality on your terms, is ‘self-determination,’ and “my best efforts ought to be acceptable even if God chooses the death of His Son.” BUT LISTEN: 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 tells us: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…that is, that GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to ud the WORD OF RECONCILIATION.”

THREE, “I’VE DETERMINED I AM A RIGHTEOUS MAN.”

That’s man’s unsound declaration revealing how far he is from Holy God! What does God say? “…ALL (ARE) LIKE AN UNCLEAN THING, AND ALL (THEIR) RIGHTEOUSNESSES ARE LIKE FILTHY RAGS…” [Isaiah 64:6].

Do you remember how that happened? Genesis 2:16-17 says, “And the Lord God commanded the man saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat…but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.”

The trees of the garden of which we may freely eat? “The tree of life!!” That is Living By The Life of Another [Jesus Christ], that is Living In And Through God’s Life, That is Partaking of the Fruit of Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope!

But the “Good Old Boys” Network ‘measures themselves by themselves,’ and partakes of the fruit of “good and evil.”

Here’s the “shocker,” my friends: Holy God took your best and your worst, BOTH, and judged them worthy only of the Cross! In Christ Jesus God crucified your best AND your worst! “I am crucified with Christ!”

Two thousand years ago Holy God hung you on the Cross with Christ: your goodness was judged worthy of death – your evilness was judged worthy of death! And you ‘think’ you have something to offer to God? So, when you stand before the Court of God, how will you plead? Who is your advocate? What will be your defense?

“I’m a religious man”? “I’ve lived by the Golden Rule”? or “I’ve determined, God, whether You like it or not, I’m a righteous man”?

But there is another option, another life choice, another Way…it’s called the Way of love, grace, and mercy, in and through the sacrifice of Christ in YOUR behalf! And consider this: If you were the only person who ever lived, what Jesus did for the whole lost and dying world, He would have done what He did just for YOU!!**

“My faith has found a resting place – not in device or creed! I trust the ever LIVING ONE – HIS WOUNDS FOR ME SHALL PLEAD… I need no other argument, I need no other plea; It is enough that Jesus died, and that HE DIED FOR ME.”

Your life, its foundation, is built on either selfish gratification or on Sovereign Grace. “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? AMAZING LOVE! HOW CAN IT BE, THAT THOU, MY GOD, SHOULD DIE FOR ME?”

You’re familiar with I Corinthians 11 where Paul talked about the Lord’s Supper. In verse 28 he said, “But let a man EXAMINE HIMSELF, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

This IS examination time, encounter time, entreaty time. It’s “TERROR OF THE LORD” TIME or “TRIUMPHANT MERCY, LOVE, AND GRACE TIME.” This is “pump my flesh time” or “falling on the Rock of Jesus time” This is “self-measurement time” or “Sovereign mercy time.” This is “grit time” or “marvelous grace time” from our loving Lord.

This is the “mountain top of self-approval time” or the “fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins time”. This is “boastfulness and willfulness of self time” or the “bread and wine time” of God’s redemptive plan. This is the self-written “book of accomplishment time” or the “Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine time”!

Are you familiar with the old hymn entitled “At Calvary”? “Years I spent in vanity and pride, Caring not my Lord was crucified, Knowing not it was for me He died, AT CALVARY…Mercy there was great and grace was free, Pardon there was multiplied to me…There my burdened soul found liberty AT CALVARY.” Have you been there?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“WHEN GOD SPEAKS?”

It happened many years ago when I was pastoring a church in a southern city in the U.S.A. I was sitting in my church office intent in preparation both in the Word and in prayer for the coming Sunday services. All of a sudden, I sensed a strong and powerful “Voice.” “Your friend, [I’ll leave him unnamed] is involved in an adulterous affair. Go tell him to repent or I’ll strike him dead.” I was stunned! (“What was that? Who was that? It wouldn’t be God. My friend is happily married. My friend is in church every Sunday. My friend is so hospitable to me and my wife. My friend is a successful businessman.”) That sure was strange – and I shut it down.

Three months later it broke wide open. It was true. A relationship had been going on for three years with a ‘lady’ (?) in the church unknown to no one, we thought, but later we learned from a few of our church youth they had known and had been following the couple to their ‘hidden’ rendezvous. The man’s marriage was rescued. The woman walked away from her husband and children.

Was it God speaking and I couldn’t hear? I believe it was without a doubt! Jack Deere, in his book “Surprised By The Voice of God,” [p.20], wrote: “The God of the Bible reveals much more to us than the sins of others. He speaks about many things. Sometimes we fail to hear Him because He says more than we want to hear. Sometimes we fail to hear Him because we are ignorant of the varied ways in which He chooses to speak to us. And sometimes we fail to hear Him because His voice is drowned out by competing voices that masquerade as God’s voice, throwing us into confusion.

Listen to the Word of God!! His voice is on every page: In Jeremiah 7:23-24,26, we read: “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Verse 26, Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.” It didn’t get any better at this time for God’s people!

Jeremiah 11:10 says, “They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who REFUSED TO HEAR MY WORDS, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”

So God asked a question! Jeremiah 23:18, “For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?” And here comes a challenging, convicting, mind-clearing, and will-engineering word that should shake you to the core!! Jeremiah 25:4 says: “And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear.”

Did it say, “rising early and sending them”? Was that early a.m., early morning, early in their pilgrimage, or was it that God, early on, “read their mail,” “watched their reluctance early in their journey to submit themselves to Him,” or God foreseeing, after their choices of deafness to His voice, the perception of their falling away?

In Matthew 10 Jesus had just sent out His twelve disciples, and in verse 27 He said: “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.” He had just said in verse 26, “…and there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and HIDDEN THAT WILL NOT BE KNOWN.” [HOW’S YOUR FEAR OF GOD DOING?].

Paul was giving his defense in Acts 22 after the commander was about to arrest him – and he told of Ananias coming to him, sent by the Lord. In verse 14, Ananias said to him, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that YOU SHOULD KNOW HIS WILL, AND SEE THE JUST ONE, AND HEAR THE VOICE OF HIS MOUTH.”

If you’ve ever been under my preaching ministry at all, I know you’ve heard me preaching over and over again: “God is no respecter of persons. What He’s done for Moses, Paul, David, John, He’ll do for you.” And that includes conversational language concerning His good, acceptable, and perfect will for your life!

And God is still speaking as He did to Abraham, Isaiah, Jeremiah, or James because His love for us is as great as it was for them. Our Lord is still speaking because of the intensity and overflow of His heart, purposes, plans, and missions because they are as great or greater now than they were then.

He’s still speaking because HE WANTS US TO HEAR HIS VOICE in order to know Him more perfectly, maturely, and intimately.

He’s still speaking because, like a little child with a loving father, He wants to build our confidence and assurance as to our Holy Family Heritage.

He’s still speaking because like a small ship in a big ocean we need the ‘Heavenly Stars of His Priceless Words” to give direction to our lives!

I picked up Larry Lea’s book “The Hearing Ear” a few years ago. I finally started to read it recently! I was overjoyed by what I read. In the “Preface,” Lea said: “Most of us can point to some specific time and say, ‘That was the turning-point in my life.’…I certainly can… (Lea said:), When I think of my turning point, I remember that day back in 1968 when, for the first time in my life, I heard the voice of God… I was 17 years old and I had lost my mind. Locked inside the psychiatric ward of Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas, I spent most of the time lying on my bed in a drugged stupor with my eyes rolled back in my head. I thought that the lady who cleaned my room was my mother and that the patient across the hall was the doctor…

But one day the horrible mental fog around my brain cleared just long enough for a shining ray of hope to penetrate my senses. Falling to my knees, I prayed the only prayer I knew how to pray. Pleading, weeping, I cried out to God, over and over I sobbed out His name: ‘Jesus! Jesus! Oh, merciful Jesus!…

Suddenly, I heard a voice speak in my spirit: ‘Now, you are My son. You will take My message to this generation. You will be My mouth and My minister.’ Then the voice told me I could get up and go home…In less than a week, I walked out of that hospital, and I’ve sought to walk by that same still, small voice ever since.” [THANK YOU, LARRY LEA!!].

Over and over again in the Word, it says: “He who has ears, let him hear!!” NOW, LISTEN TO JESUS!! In John 8:42-47 Jesus said: “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God, HEARS GOD’S WORDS; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Isn’t it amazing that what some call “dumb sheep” Jesus talks about them “hearing His voice”! In John 10:3-5 Jesus said, “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Oh, and then Jesus said in verse 16: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”

I tell you, Jesus HAS SPOKEN TO YOU whether you’ve heard and responded to His voice or not! He SPEAKS – you should listen! Then, in John 10:27-18 Jesus continued: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

So…what is this really all about “When God Speaks?”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS THE VOICE OF FRIENDSHIP AFFIRMATION! In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron had just spoken against Moses, and God showed up!! Numbers 12:6-8 says, Then God said, HEAR NOW MY WORDS: ‘If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision, and I speak to him in a dream… Not so, with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house -…I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings, and he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?’”

We see in Exodus 33:11, “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” There’s an old hymn entitled “Day By Day.” It says: “Day by day, and with each passing moment, Strength I find, to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for weary or for fear. He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure Gives unto each day what He deems best – Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, Mingling toil with peace and rest…Every day, the Lord Himself is near me, With a special mercy for each hour; All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me, He Whose Name is Counselor and Power; The protection of His child and treasure Is a charge that on Himself He laid; “As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,” This is the pledge to me He made.”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS THE VOICE OF INSTRUCTION:

I want you to come to Deuteronomy 4:10-12, 33, 35-36, and verse 39: The Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children. Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice…Verse 33, “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?…Verses 35-36 “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.” …Verse 399, “Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.”

What is His Holy Word telling us as He speaks to our hearts? 1) “That they may learn to fear Me –“ In Matthew 10:28 Jesus confirms the legitimacy of one “fearing God” when He said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather FEAR HIM who is able to destroy both soul and body in HELL.”

Have you seen the truth of the everlasting gospel in Revelation 14:6-7? Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has comer; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

2) “That they may teach their children –“ Do you have a passion that your own children grow up with an intensity of godly identification? “Our parents birthed us, but we’ve chosen to truly be children of faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” WOW! How good is that?!? And, thank God, for parents who do not ignore the spiritual training of their children!

3) “That they may know the Lord Himself is God; there is none other.” I pray that you remind, teach, instill within your children and family Exodus 20:3-6!! “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Now…

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS THE VOICE OF WITNESS AND WARNING:

In Psalm 81:9-16 we are “admonished”: “There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

The prophet Ezekial received a word from God in Ezekial 3:17, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning for Me.”

It’s why the psalmist in Psalm 95:7-8 recorded God’s heart-cry: “Today if you will hear His voice:…Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion; and as in the day of trial in the wilderness…” I ask YOU: Was the day of trial in the wilderness of God?

In Isaiah 30:9 God said to the prophet, “this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear THE LAW OF THE LORD.”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS THE VOICE OF DIRECTION FOR YOUR LIFE, YOUR WITNESS, YOUR PERSONAL MINISTRY, YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL HEALTH:

In Isaiah 30:21 we read, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’ Whenever you turn to the right or whenever you turn to the left.” His voice of direction? I Corinthians 16:9 speaks of “…a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries…” Why the adversaries? Why the opposition? Because there are those who have no desire to be led by God!

In Revelation 3:7-8 we read, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things say HE who is holy, HE who is true, HE who has the keys of David, HE who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens…I know your works. See, I have set before you an OPEN DOOR, AND NO MAN CAN SHUT IT.” Oh, and then there is Colossians 3:14-17!! “But above all these things, put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through Him.”

To Noah, God said: “Make yourself an ark,” even if he didn’t know what an ark was! To Abraham, God said, “Get out of your country, from your kindred, and from your father’s house to a land I will show you…I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing…in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

To Moses, God said, “Come now and I will send you to Pharoah that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” To Paul, God said, “Rise and stand on your feet: for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things I will yet reveal to you.”

A poem written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox says this: “One ship drives east and another drives west with the selfsame winds that blow. ‘Tis the set of the sails And not the gales which tells us the way to go.”

What’s the “set of the sails” for your life? Has God Almighty “set your sails”? Or is it self-will, self-rule, self-pleasure, self-direction, or the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God? In Genesis 24:27 we read, “I being in THE WAY, the Lord led me…”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF JUDGMENT UPON THE NATIONS:

In Isaiah 34:1-6, 8, we read astounding words about the voice of God’s judgment – and not one nation is spared!! “Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against the nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter. Also their slain shall be thrown out; their stench shall rise from their corpses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; all their host shall fall down as the leaf falls from the vine, and as fruit falling from a fig tree. For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; indeed it shall come down on Edom, and on the people of My curse, for judgment. The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made overflowing with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. Verse8, For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”

It was Thomas Carlyle who once wrote: “Foolish men imagine that because judgment for an evil thing is delayed, there is no justice, but only accident here below. Judgment for an evil thing is many times delayed some day or two, some century or two, but it is as sure as life, it is as sure as death!” [Get ready, America! God has set you in His sights!}

In Isaiah 42:13 we read: “The Lord shall go forth like a might man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.” Are you ready for the march of the mighty man, God, as He comes and clearly calls your name to stand before Him and give an account? Why? Isaiah 65:12 says: “Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.”

Have you heard some say: “Old Testament! Old Testament! We’re of the New Testament crowd!” Really? In Revelation 6:12-17 we read: “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and ion the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from THE WRATH OF THE LAMB! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

But men of saving grace and faith and mercy who truly have heard His voice and responded in true repentance and faith? Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:17-18, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES:

In Isaiah 42:5-9 we read: Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Aren’t you awed as you come to the Book of Acts and read about Philip? Acts 8:26-35 says: Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Etiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: [Out of Isaiah 53], “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”

[And aren’t you amazed as you read Acts 9:1-20 and see the blessed conversion of Saul of Tarsus who became Paul the Apostle? Please read it!!].

Isaiah 43:18-21 tells US of OUR NEW OPPORTUNITIES!! “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.”

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF HOPE: Ezekial 36 and Ezekial 37 are both clear passages of understanding about the heart of God and His voice of hope, yes, in you and in me!

In Ezekial 36:24-30 we read, God speaking: “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.”

And I pray you will pause, right now, and turn in your own Bible to Ezekial 37, reading the first ten verses! You’ll be awed by what you read. It’s God’s promise of new life, new breath, new blessings!

Dead-bone nations have a sunlight of hope! Dead-bone people like you and me have a revelation- ray of holy sunshine and hope shining on us! Dead-bone churches can be raised up to resurrection life and light by Jesus only! Dead-bone marriages can, and, yes, will be renewed by the miracle of grace and mercy! And, dead-bone visions and dreams will hear His voice of hope!

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF SALVATION AND DELIVERANCE FROM THE BONDS OF SPIRITUAL DEATH:

In John 5:25 we read, “Most assuredly, I SAY TO YOU, the hour is coming, AND NOW IS, when the dead WILL HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THOSE WHO HEAR WILL LIVE.”

Jesus now, yes, NOW, stands before the tombs of multitudinous lives “dead in trespasses and sins,” and says, “Lazarus, COME FORTH!” “FARRELL, COME FORTH!” “ANGIE, COME FORTH!” “CALEB, COME FORTH!” And His Word says: “and he who had died came forth…!” Amen?

William T. Sleeper and George C. Stebbins wrote the old hymn: “Jesus, I Come.” It says: “Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come, Jesus, I come; Into Your freedom, gladness and light, Jesus, I come to You; Out of my sickness into Your health, Out of my want and into Your wealth, Out of my sin and into Yourself, Jesus, I come to You!” Amen?

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF DIVINE CONVICTION:

Jesus said in John 15:22, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” Divine Conviction? Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says of conviction: “The act of convincing, or compelling one to admit the truth of a charge; the act of convincing of sin or sinfulness; the state of being convinced or convicted by conscience; the state of being sensible of guilt; as, the ‘convictions’ of a sinner may be temporary or lasting and efficacious. By ‘conviction’ a sinner is brought to repentance. Men often sin against the ‘conviction’ of their own consciences.”

• There is THE DIVINE CONVICTION OF HOLY PRESENCE: Luke 5:8 says, “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ feet or knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
• There is THE CONVICTION OF HOLY LAW: Romans 7:8-9 tells us, “But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.”
• There is THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY GHOST: John 14:8-9 says, “And when He [the Holy Ghost6] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…of sin because they do not believe in Me…”
• There is THE CONVICTION OF THE HOLY WORD: Psalm 119:133 says, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Oswald Chambers, in “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.254], has written: “Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses a man’s conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God – “against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight.” The marvels of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven man who is the holy man, he proves he is forgiven by being the opposite to what he was, by God’s grace. Repentance always brings a man to the point: I HAVE SINNED. The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says it and means it. Anything less than this is remorse for having made blunders, the reflex action of disgust at himself.” [Where is God in that? ‘disgust at self’, but no shame before God?]

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF AWESOME, MYSTERIOUS REVELATION:

In 2 Corinthians 12:1-5 we read of these mysterious revelations. It says: “It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows – how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast except in my infirmities.”

Isn’t it amazing to you? Here’s Paul. He knows of others who’ve been blessed, encouraged, and uplifted by these awesome events of ‘hearing God’! Then Paul hears Him! And he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ‘Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When our Lord speaks to you, you be strong in Him!

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF UNVEILING OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST:

Oh, get ready! This is so good! Revelation 1:9-20 is a word from John for every believer! It says: “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodecia.” Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with Me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

This is so similar to what Peter, James, and John experienced as Jesus took them up on a high mountain, Matthew 17:1-6, “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.” Have you entered the “glory-cloud” of holy presence lately?

WHEN GOD SPEAKS, UNDERSTAND, IT IS WITH THE VOICE OF VICTORIOUS CONQUEST:

In I John 5:4-5 John tells us: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

There is such an encouraging, inspirational word for us in John 4:42 which says: Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” Spurgeon wrote: [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial library, Vol.13,p.225], “Appointed, anointed, commissioned of the Father to speak to us, to confer with us, to make known among us the mind and will of our great and gracious Sovereign,…[Jesus spoke} and we should heed and hearken to His words.” Have YOU heard the voice of God speaking to you?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD?”

As we begin this chapter study together, I want to lay the foundation with three different passages of God’s Word: First, Psalm 139:1-6, 16-17, 23-24, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Verses 16-17, Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. Verses 23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Philippians 4:4-6 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Jeremiah 23:23-29, “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off?” Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord. “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed! I have dreamed!’ How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord. Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

How is it with you as you face yourself, your walk, your pilgrimage, your journey as a follower of Christ when you come to such a word as Psalm 139 and Paul’s letter to the Philippians? Or what about Jeremiah’s deep awareness of God’s eyes on him?

Do you read it with the same insight David wrote with, or Paul, or Jeremiah? “MY LORD IS NEAR TO ME!!” When Paul wrote Philippians he was “chained,” yes, “imprisoned,” bound, not knowing if he would live or die! In Philippians 1:13 he said, “it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that MY CHAINS ARE IN CHRIST.” *QUESTION!!*

Are the “chains of YOUR circumstances ‘IN CHRIST’?” Is what happens to you seen as an opportunity “FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL”? Do you see every situation, event, happening, as another giant step of you “being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of others’ faith?

Paul faced tremendous problems, and yet he saw them as OPPORTUNITIES because “in nothing was he going to be ashamed, [but that] now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

And when in Philippians 4:5 Paul said, “The Lord is at hand,” he wasn’t talking about the Lord’s bodily return, or His second coming, but about HIS ABIDING PRESENCE! He eagerly waited for the Savior’s “coming again,” but here he’s gloriously overwhelmed by the deep awareness that Paul’s life was enveloped, en-sphered, encircled, en-grasped, enraptured with the precious presence of the Prince of Peace.

Do you live OVERSHADOWED BY THAT DIVINE CLOUD OF GLORIOUS PRESENCE? Spurgeon said he could not recall ever spending even a short 15 minutes without the profound thought of the presence of Christ!! “The Lord is at hand!!”

How did David put it? Psalm 139:7-12 and verse 5 says, “The Lord is at hand!” F.B. Meyer, in his Devotional Commentary on Philippians, [p.209], wrote: “We all know times like that. We have been walking in the midst of some beautiful landscape, the river rushing past, flowers dipping their cups silently into its brink, the gentle air moving through the quivering leaves above, the insect life humming its varied music, and all nature suffused with the smile of the sun. Then, all of a sudden, there has been borne in on us the consciousness of a spiritual presence; we have FELT A BREATH ON OUR FACES, A THRILL IN OUR HEARTS, [“THE LORD IS NEAR”]…In church, when saying your prayers mechanically, falling in with the murmur of repetition as you’ve done a 1000 times, standing listfully listening to the people singing, or joining them without much heart; sitting apparently intent on the words of the minister while your thoughts have been far away on business or pleasure. SUDDENLY there has been as if it were the music of GOLDEN BELLS, and YOU HAVE REALIZED THAT THE OLD PROMISE WAS BEING FULFILLED: “THERE AM I IN THE MIDST.” Without opening the door, without the sound of a footfall the Lord Jesus has glided into the shut apartment of your nature, and you have said, ‘The Lord is NEAR.’”

One of the awesome truths of life that needs to be awakened in your heart and mind is the reality of God’s desire for you TO KNOW HIS NEARNESS, for you to know His love for you, how ‘precious’ His thoughts are TO YOU, and how the Living God, the Resurrected Savior, and the reigning Holy Spirit is as much with you and for you as if there was no one else on the face of the earth – just you and Him! Let’s look at this “nearness”:

THERE’S THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD EVEN IN OUR FALLEN STATE AND NATURE:

What does Romans 3:23 say? “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Oh, and then Isaiah 59:2 reminds us, “your iniquities have separated you from God.”

When Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s Word and bought into Satan’s “LIE” that you can sin and not die, they died spiritually and all of a sudden realized their spiritual nakedness and the separation of their souls from God.

Even then as now they began to think, “God is far away,” or “there is no God,” or “if there is a God, He doesn’t care about me,” or “If there is a God, and He knows my condition, He’ll not want anything to do with me.”

And the problem is because our own hearts, in our fallen state, are so far from God, WE CONCEIVE THE FALSE IDEA THAT GOD’S HEART IS FAR FROM US! But look at Genesis 3!!, and especially verses 4-9! What did they do?…”hid themselves from the presence of the Lord.”

Do you know about hiding? Men hide themselves in their depraved thoughts. They hide themselves in their religious deceptions. They hide themselves in their busyness. They hide themselves in their alcohol, drugs, or sexual addictions. They hide themselves in their self-made, personally designed, fleshly goals, aims, and ambitions building towers to make a name for themselves. They hide themselves even in the pews of “Cultural Christianity”!

Then…all of a sudden, “Adam, where are you?” In his hiding place – and it’s God seeking Adam! It’s not man who seeks after God. What does Romans 3:10-12 tell us? As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.

We didn’t seek God – GOD SOUGHT US! It’s not our voice, “God, where are You?” It’s God’s voice – “Adam, where are you?” [And you do know, don’t you, that God knew exactly where Adam was: geographically or positionally”]

God’s “The Seeker.” God’s “The Hound of Heaven.” It’s not “search and destroy,” but “seek and save”! What does “Immanuel” mean? God With Us. God In The Flesh. John 1:11-12 tells us: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Listen to Spurgeon, [Memorial Library, Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol.18, p.270], “Friends, I remember well when I was in the death-cart, and Jesus came to me with PARDON. Death and hell were before me; I rejoiced exceedingly when I SAW THE NAILPRINTS IN HIS HANDS AND FEET, and the WOUND IN HIS SIDE. When He said, “Your sins, which are many, are all forgiven,” I thought I never saw such loveliness before, and never heard such music in all my days.”

What did David say in Psalm 40? “HE BROUGHT ME UP OUT OF A HORRIBLE PIT, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps…He has put a new song in my mouth…PRAISE TO OUR GOD!”

What does that great old Hymn say? “Years I spent in vanity and pride, Caring not my Lord was crucified, Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary…[But] by God’s Word at last my sin I learned – Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned, Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary…O the love that drew salvation’s plan! O the grace that brought it down to man! O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!”

Forever man should know of God’s nearness because of that mighty span of the Cross of Jesus! But also..

THERE’S THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN NEED OF PERSONAL REVIVAL:

In Psalm 85:6 the question of this hour, today, right now, comes forth: “WILL YOU NOT REVIVE US AGAIN, THAT YOUR PEOPLE MAY REJOICE IN YOU?” What did Paul say in Philippians 4:4-5? “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, REJOICE!…Let your [steadfastness] be known to all men. THE LORD IS AT HAND.”

When you come to Psalm 119:67 you’ll hear King David say: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” In verse 149 he said, “Hear my voice, according to Your lovingkindness; O Lord, REVIVE ME according to Your justice…” and then said in verse 151, “You are NEAR, O Lord…” Personal Revival Needed? REVIVAL BECAUSE ONE LOSES THE JOY OF SALVATION, REVIVAL NEEDED BECAUSE ONE HAS WILLFULLY GONE ASTRAY (Psalm 119:176), “I have gone astray like a lost sheep…”, and, yes, corporate revival because the church as a whole has lost the desire to pray, (Psalm 80:18), “revive us, and we will call upon Your name,” revival because one has lost that glorious inner countenance – days without number He has been forgotten – 3 times in Psalm 80 David cried out, “Restore us, O God; cause Your face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved;” and revival because one can find himself/herself in bondage – Ezra 9:8 says, “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our Gods, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.”

Vance Havner, now deceased Southern Baptist prophet, wrote a little book entitled “Repent Or Else.” [pps. 14-16]. He wrote: “Revival is a work of the Spirit among God’s own people whereby they get right with God and with each other…Revivals should not be necessary…but so long as we have such a malarial brand of Christianity, a fever and a chill, a fever and a chill, we shall need revivals…The church needs time out to tune up. We are so busy building a bigger orchestra, that we cannot stop to tune our instruments…We never need to go to the mourner’s bench more than when we feel least like it. [Then quotes Finney]: ‘Revival is nothing less than a new beginning of obedience to God, a breaking of heart and getting down in the dust before Him with deep humility and obedience to God, a breaking of heart and getting down in the dust before Him with deep humility and forsaking of sin.”

And what did David say? “You are near, O Lord…” IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MESS, Our Lord is at hand. In the middle of our darkness, our Lord shines His Light. In the middle of our rebellious wanderings, our Lord finds us! “A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our Helper He amid the floods of mortal ills prevailing.”

THERE’S THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN NEED OF CONFIDENCE AND ASSURANCE:

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m not sure I can make it. I’m not sure I can hold on. I’m not sure I can enter in. I’m not sure I can overcome. I’m not sure I can make it to the ‘finish’ line. I’m not sure.” But Psalm 121:1-2 says: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Are you aware of the ‘infancy’ of Israel’s faith in God as they began to follow Him out of Egypt, into the wilderness, and on in to the promised land? There were times they said, “We wish we were back in Egypt!”

The pilgrim journey was new to them – “we’ve never passed this way before!” Spurgeon said: “…their newly found liberty was darkened by a terrible fear of RECAPTURE!” But listen to Exodus 13:20-22, “So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”

What does Exodus 14:19 tell us? And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.”

In Hebrews 13:5 God Himself said: “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.” Have you forgotten or overlooked God’s word to Joshua? Joshua 1:5 says, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.”

Is that any different at all from Matthew 28:20 when Jesus said: “Lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.”

You may never see visibly a natural cloud that bursts into a flame, but because of God’s promises YOU CAN STAND ASSURED, “God Is With ME and His Power, Protection, Provision, Presence ABOUNDS TOWARD ME to see me through.”

Exodus 14:19 again? “And the Angel of God who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and STOOD BEHIND THEM!!” STOOD BEHIND THEM – STANDS BEHIND ME – STANDS BEHIND YOU!!

It’s settled from God’s point of view! It’s permanent from God’s side! It’s forever, a done deal! The Glorious Angel of God is permanently fixed, shrouded in the clouds of heavenly glory, with sword drawn in His hand. Isaiah 52:12 tells us: “For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

[Please read Romans 8:31-32, 29-30, 37-39].

THERE’S THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IMMERSED IN THE DEEP WATERS OF WORRY, DOUBT, OR FEAR:

Look with me at Philippians 4:6-7, 13, and 1:28! “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus….Verse 13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 1:28, And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”

Have you heard them? “I have God’s blessing as long as I am real positive. I have God’s blessing as long as I am really ‘spiritual’. I have God’s blessing as long as I am real up-beat, as long as I give the appearance of being strong. I have God’s blessing as long as I am a ‘super-saint’. I have God’s blessing as long as I am an extra-ordinary disciple. I have God’s blessing as long as my thoughts and affections are set on things above. I have God’s blessing as long as I’m walking in perfection.” NO!! A 1000 times, NO!

In Proverbs 3:5-6 we read, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Have you seen “The New 23^rd”? “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need. He lets me rest in meadows green and leads me beside the quiet stream;…He keeps on giving life to me And helps me to do what honors Him the most, Even when walking through the valley of death, of death, I will never be afraid, For He is close beside me…Guarding, guiding all the way; He spreads a feast before me In the presence of my enemies [worry, doubt, fear!!]… He welcomes me as His special guest, With blessing overflowing, His goodness and unfailing kindness Shall be with me all of my life and afterward I will live with Him forever, in His Home.”

ALSO, IS THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES ISOLATED BY THE JUDGMENTS OF MEN:

Please come to Genesis 16:1-9, 13-14, Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” Verses 13-14, Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees;” for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; [Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me!]…”

Do you know about ill-treatment, misjudgment, harsh and cruel renderings against you – the besmirching of your name, honor, character? What about the purloining of your good and godly reputation? Even Jesus was not exempt from this attitude or action!

Luke 6:7 says, “The scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely…THAT THEY MIGHT FIND AN ACCUSATION AGAINST HIM.” Jesus’ own family was saying, “He’s lost His senses!”

I want you to come with me to I Peter 3:13-17 because “the Lord is at hand” – He is so near to you as you are maligned, ridiculed, even lied about!! “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

Did Jezebel misjudge, threaten, and isolate Elijah? I Kings 19 says Elijah “arose and ran for his life…” He ran to the wilderness, ended up in a cave. Oh, but then, LISTEN!! I Kings 19:9, “…Behold, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ELIJAH…Verse 11, Then God said to him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And BEHOLD THE LORD PASSED BY!

Do you remember Jeremiah’s pilgrimage? The weeping prophet was being walloped! Look at Jeremiah 32:1-3, 31:3, 11-14, and Jeremiah 33:1-3!

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house. For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord; “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it..” Jeremiah 31:3, 11-14, The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you…Verses 11-14, For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord – for wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; their souls shall be a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”

Jeremiah 33:1-3, Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord id His name): Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

You’ll remember John on the island of Patmos in Revelation 1 imprisoned for the faith! YOU are going to be wronged, but “Look up! YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR!” You will be misjudged! Get in the Spirit and hear God’s trumpet blow His rallying cry for your defense!

THERE IS THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE INTENSE BATTLES OF THE FAITH:

In 2 Chronicles 20 the people of Moab with others came to battle Jehoshaphat. He was afraid and began to seek the Lord, and Judah gathered together to seek Him. They knew they didn’t have the power to stand against their enemies so they set themselves together to seek God’s help. They “stood before the Lord” and cried out for His help. In verse 15 the Spirit of the Lord had come upon Jahaziel and he heard God speak: Thus says the Lord to you, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Thank God for Isaiah 54:17 which tells us: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.

I love Deuteronomy 28:7 which tells us, “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before your face: they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” SCATTERED AND SHATTERED BY GOD HIMSELF!

Do you remember the three young Israelites in the fiery furnace because they would not bow before Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image? Daniel 3:24-25, we see and hear the king saying, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?…Look!! I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire: they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!!” WOW! In Daniel 6:22 Daniel had been cast into the lions’ den because of the battle of praying to God! “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouth, so that they have not hurt me…” GLORY!

Paul was in that “good fight of faith”! He told Timothy (2 Timothy 4:16-18), “At my fist defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

When Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah, Hezekiah gathered his people and gave them encouragement. 2 Chronicles 32:8 says, “With him is an arm of flesh: BUT WITH US IS THE LORD OUR GOD, TO HELP US AND TO FIGHT OUR BATTLES.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.”

And what did John say in I John 4:4? “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAT HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.”

THERE’S THE NEARNESS OF OUR LORD WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES SURROUNDED BY THE LITTLE FOXES THAT SPOIL THE VINEYARD:

Have you ever seen the “FOX” of envy or strife? Philippians 1:15-16 says, “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add afflictions to my chains.”

Have you ever seen the “FOX” of disinterest in the progress and joy of faith for others? Philippians 1:24-26 says, “Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.” Paul never displayed disinterest in others’ spiritual progress – it was his heart and mind every day, every way, everywhere! But too many Christians exhibit disinterest in where other young believers are – there is no concern by them for your spiritual maturity.

Have you ever witnessed that “FOX” of disunity? Philippians 2:1-4 says, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

What about that “FOX” of unbelief, false doctrine, false worship? In Philippians 3:1-3, 18-19, we read: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Verses 18-19, For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame – who set their minds on earthly things.”

Have you ever been shocked by the “FOX” of pettiness between women? Look at Philippians 4:1-3, “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I also urge you, true companions, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.” Consider “wild cat female kittens” at one another’s throat – watch out!

Have you ever been around that “FOX” of selfishness? That’s not the Philippians because we read in chapter four, verses 15-17, of THEIR unselfish support of Paul, but I remember a church financial secretary telling me on an occasion that she did not comprehend that the most vocal opposers, disrupters, antagonists in a church business meeting were always the ones who supported the church financially the least of all!

How does one raise up stones to break bones when the Lord is at hand? How does one center so much on themselves in selfish fashion when the Selfless Savior is at hand? How does one center so much on themselves allowing pettiness to permeate them when the Prince of Peace is present? How does “my way” or the highway rule some hearts when the Marvelous Master moves among us? How does unbelief and false doctrine get a foothold in some lives when the God of all Truth rules the day?

Here’s how Paul dealt with it. Listen carefully and prayerfully to his words in Philippians 3:7-16, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.Yet indeed I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upwards call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”

The last point in this chapter? THERE IS NEARNESS OF OUR LORD IN THE TIME OF OUR DEATH:

You do know! We are going to die! How about YOU reading Psalm 23 right now as a refresher course! The Nearness of our Lord even in our fallen state and nature! He’s drawn near to us! The Nearness of our Lord when we find ourselves in need of personal revival! He’s drawn near to us! The Nearness of our Lord when we find ourselves in need of confidence and assurance! He’s drawn near to us! The Nearness of our Lord when we are immersed in the deep waters of worry, doubt, or fear! He’s drawn near to us! The Nearness of our Lord when we are isolated by the judgments of men! He’s drawn near to us! The Nearness of our Lord when we are in intense battles of the faith! “The Lord stood with me!” The Nearness of our Lord when we find ourselves surrounded by the little foxes that spoil the vineyard! “I am with you, in your midst!” The Nearness of our Lord in the time of death! “You are with me, I’ll fear no evil!”

Is our Lord near us now? Remember Gethsemane? There Jesus knelt to pray, “Father, if it is Your will, remove this cup from ME; NEVERTHELESS not My will, but Yours be done…And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. And His sweat became like great drops of blood flowing to the ground.” WHY? “Because “I AM NEAR YOU AND FOR YOU!”

He was before Pontius Pilate, falsely accused, condemned by a thoughtless, truth-less crowd: “I take your condemnation, judgment, guilt, sins upon MYSELF, because “I AM NEAR YOU AND FOR YOU.”

Watch as He plods the streets, beaten unmercifully in the scourging, bleeding already profusely, carrying that “Old Rugged Cross” because “I AM NEAR YOU AND I AM FOR YOU.”

At this very moment He’s your Advocate, your Heavenly attorney, at the right hand throne of God, having pled your case before that eternal throne of the Most High God, because “I am near you and I am for you.”

When He comes in that heavenly cloud of glory, the second time, not as the suffering servant, but the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords, when that glorious trumpet sounds, you’ll hear Him say, “Because I’m near you and I am for you. Come on – let’s go to our eternal gathering together and to our eternal home!” AMEN?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“THE GOD OF THE PEOPLE?”

In Isaiah 40:18 there is a powerful question. It says, “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare Him with?” Our God, Jehovah God, the one and ONLY TRUE AND LIVING GOD IS BEYOND COMPARISON! Would you try to compare Him to the world’s wealthiest man who holds in his little fingers the destinies and fortunes of corporations and crowds of employees?

In Isaiah 1:3 it says, “An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.” And too many don’t know and don’t understand that He is the OWNER of it all! Haggai 2:8 says, “The silver is MINE, and the gold is MINE,” declares the Lord of hosts.

In Psalm 50:10 we read, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a 1000 hills.” Would you try to compare Him to the world’s wisest men who hold in their little fingers papers or degrees of their intellectual accomplishments?

I Corinthians 1:19-21 says, “For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.’ Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

There used to be a song we used to sing about that said something about God holding the whole world in His hands – and HE DOES!

In Isaiah 44:6 the Word speaks, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I am the first and the last, and there is no god besides Me…”

Rahab stood on her gift of revelation faith and said to Joshua [Joshua 2:11], “for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” And she rested her life on “the scarlet thread.” And it hasn’t changed.

2 Chronicles 6:14 declares, “O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart.”

I want to challenge you, if you haven’t been already, right now, with Isaiah 26:4 which says, “Trust in the Lord forever. For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” And the God we serve is no respecter of persons or peoples: Deuteronomy 7:21 says, Moses speaking: “…the Lord your God is IN YOUR MIDST, a great and awesome God…”

Deuteronomy 10:17 tells us, “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe.” It gets better!

Look with me at Deuteronomy 32:3-4, [but let me insert first Deuteronomy 31:3 where Moses declared that, “It is the Lord your God who will cross before you!” Don’t be afraid! Moses then wrote a song in chapter 31, verse 19, that he tells them about, and we find it in the 32^nd chapter!] – Deuteronomy 32:3-4, “For I proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.”

And we also are on a journey, and there are new horizons before us all, even battles to be fought and heavenly reserves to draw upon in our most difficult and blessed moments! So, Psalm 70:4 says, “Let God be magnified!”

“THE GOD OF THE PEOPLE?” OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF ETERNAL, CREATIVE POWER: [Let me say to you, right now, that you don’t have to have full or complete understanding of a truth to stand upon it! Remember that!].

In Genesis 21:33 the Holy Word says, “And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the EVERLASTING GOD!”

God didn’t begin – HE IS, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE! We read in Jeremiah 10:10, “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.” Then come to verses 12-13, “It is He who made the earth by His power (don’t ever forget it!! Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created [made] the heaven and the earth” –In fact, in Hebrews 11:3 we read, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”),…who established the world by His wisdom; and by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens…When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth: He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouse.”

Psalm 100:3 declares, “KNOW that the Lord Himself is God: It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves…” Now,

Come to Isaiah 40:9-14, and 28-31! “O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up to the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “BEHOLD YOUR GOD!” Behold the Lord shall come with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, and showed Him the way of understanding? Verses 28-31, Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

And the meaning of what we’ve just read? “NEVER FORGET THE GOD OF ETERNAL, CREATIVE POWER!” This is why, in your spiritual journey, that 2 Corinthians 5:17 is so important! “Therefore, if ANY MAN is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; and behold, new things have come.” He said in Revelation 21:5, “And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things NEW!”

Ask the “born again” – New Life! Ask Peter after he failed – New Beginning! Ask parents who know – New children! Ask children who know – New Parents! Ask businessmen who lost it all – New Opportunity! Ask ones who know of fractured, broken marriages – New Grace, Holy Households! Ask nations once ruled by tyrants and dictators – New Nations with God As Their Lord!

The church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is to be the people who herald the “NEW HOPE”!! David Chilton wrote an exposition of Revelation entitled “Days of Vengence,” [pps. 547-548]. Listen to what he wrote about Revelation 21:5!! He said: “…The only essential difference between the subjects of 2 Corinthians 5 and Revelation 21 is that Paul is speaking of “the redeemed individual,” while John is speaking of “the redeemed community.” Both the individual and the community are recreated, renewed, and restored to Paradise in salvation, and this cosmic restoration has already begun. John sees that what has begun in seemingly (to the eyes of the first century) isolated instances is really the wave of the future. The new creation will fill the earth; the whole creation will be renewed. This is true definitively, it will be absolutely true eschatalogically – and it gives us the pattern for our work in between, for it is also to be worked out progressively. The New Creation must be unfolded, its every implication understood and applied, by the royal priesthood in this age…The great church historian Phillip Schaff understood this: ‘To the Lord and His kingdom belongs the whole world, with all that lives and moves in it. ALL is yours, says the apostle (ICorinthians 3:22). Religion is not a signal, separate sphere of human life, but the divine principle by which the entire man is to be pervaded, refined, and made complete. It takes hold of him in his undivided totality, in the center of his personal being; to carry light into his understanding, holiness into his will, and heaven into his heart; and to shed thus the sacred consecration of the new birth, and the glorious liberty of the children of God over his whole outward and inner life that may not be glorified. The creature, in the widest extent of the word, is earnestly waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, and sighing after the same glorious deliverance. The whole creation aims toward redemption; and Christ is the second Adam, the new universal Man, not simply in a religious but also in an absolute sense. The view entertained by Romish monasticism and Protestant pietism, by which Christianity is made to consist in an opposition to the natural life, or in ‘flight from the world,’ is quite contrary to the spirit and power of the Gospel, as well as false to its designs. Christianity is the redemption and renovation of the world. It must make all things new.” Can you say AMEN to that?

In Isaiah 42:5-9 we read, Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

And then Isaiah 45:18, 22-23 tells us, For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. Verses 22-23, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath.” And, remember, as we’ve begun this study, we’ve seen THE GOD OF ETERNAL, CREATIVE POWER – at this given moment we need to bow before Him and declare our allegiance to Almighty God!

OUR GOD? OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF CONSTANT CALLING:

In Genesis 3:9 Satan had come and deceived Adam and Eve, and they rebelled and sinned, then realized their ‘nakedness’ before Holy God. Then they were feverishly ‘fig-leafing’ their lost and sinful condition, had hidden themselves, they thought, and then in verse 9, “Then the Lord God CALLED to the man, and said to him, “Where are you, Adam?”

I tell you, God is not blind. He knew where Adam was and what condition he was in spiritually. God said, “Adam, look where you are at this point in your life. Look at what disobedience has produced. Look at the absence of God from your life. Look at the end result of devilish deception and fleshly indulgence!”

Do you remember Hagar when God spoke to her in that isolated place? She said, (Genesis 16:13), “You are a God who sees.” And because He sees, He calls. In Ezekial 33:11 we read, “Say to them, ‘As I live!” declares the Lord God, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?”

We just saw in Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto Me, and be saved, all the earth: for I am God and there is none else.” Paul told Timothy (I Timothy 2:4) that God “will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Notice, it’s God who takes the initiative! I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls you.” It’s God who sends the prophets! It’s God who produces the beautiful feet of those that preach, witness, and bring glad tidings of good things. It’s God who inspires the songs of deliverance, salvation, and healing grace. It’s God who speaks through the partner or the parent or the child! It’s God who calls to us even in the crisis of circumstances. It’s the GOD-BREATHED WORD OF HOLY SCRIPTURE BY WHICH WE ARE TO LIVE! God does it!

In Deuteronomy 30:19 we read, God speaking, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants.” Don’t let it be said of you, Proverbs 1:24, “I called and you refused…”

And old hymn says it so clearly: “Jesus Calls Us,” written by Cecil F. Alexander. It says:

“Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea, Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, saying, ‘Christian, follow Me.’…Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world’s golden store. From each idol that would keep us, saying, ‘Christian, love Me more.’…In our joys and in our sorrows, Days of toil and hours of ease, Still He calls us in cares and pleasures, ‘Christian, love ME more than these…Jesus calls us: by Thy mercies, Savior, may we hear Your call. Give our hearts to Your obedience, Serve and love You best of all.”

OUR GOD IS ALSO THE GOD OF CLEAR UNVEILING:

In Genesis 17:1-3 we read: “Now when Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; walk before Me and be blameless…And, I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.’ And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him…”

David said in Psalm 48:10, “As is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth.” You’ll remember God coming to Isaac in the contentious land of the Philistines and saying to him, (Genesis 26:24), “I am the God of your father Abraham…”

To Jacob, God said, (Genesis 31:13), “I am the God of Bethel…” the God of encounter, anointing, and promise. And you’ll remember that Jacob had his name changed – “Israel of God” – and he was praying for Joseph with whom he had been reunited and in that prayer said, (Genesis 48:15),, “to the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day…”

In Joshua 24:19 Joshua called Him, “…the holy God, the jealous God.” And, yes, He is THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOD MY HELPER, the sustainer of my soul, the God who works wonders, My Father – the rock of my salvation, God of our salvation, God our refuge and strength, The Lord – the God of Heaven, the Lord – your God, God of Israel!

Isaiah 9:6 says He is “the Child born, the Son given, upon whose shoulders the government rests – His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And how could anyone ever forget Matthew 1:21? “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Then in Matthew 22:32 we read: “I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

JEHOVAH M’KADDESH (Sanctification), ROPHE (Healer), NISSI (Shepherd), SHALOM (Peace), JIREH (Provider), TSIDKENU (Righteousness), ROHI (SHEPHERD), SHAMMAH (Present).

Have you heard it before: (?) “Oh, that I may know Him…” And John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”

OUR GOD IS GOD OF CONTINUOUS CARE TO THE GREAT NEEDS OF FALLEN AND REDEEMED MANKIND:

Do you remember what Isaac asked his father on that mountain? “Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering? Genesis 22:7-8, Abraham responded in faith and confidence: “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” He knew the heart of God and the promise of God – and he was sure!

What does 2 Corinthians 5:19 tell us? “God was ‘in Christ’ reconciling the world to Himself…” Are you reconciled to God? In verse 21 Paul wrote: “He (God) made Him (Christ Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Catherine Marshall, in her book “Something More” (p.7), wrote: “Our God is the Divine Alchemist. He can take junk from the rubbish heap of life, and melting this base refuse in the pure fire of His love, hand us back – GOLD!” It is our salvation – the sustenance of the soul and spirit! LOOK AT HIS WORD! REJOICE AND RECEIVE!

Deuteronomy 8:2 He “led you in the wilderness…disciplining you.”

Deuteronomy 9:3 He “crosses over before you as a consuming fire,”

Deuteronomy 9:6 He “gives you a good land”

Deuteronomy 12:7 He “blessed you” Deuteronomy 12:9 “giving you the inheritance,” Deuteronomy 13:3 “testing you” Deuteronomy 20:4 “goes before you”

Joshua 1:13 “gives you rest”, Joshua 23:5 “promised you,” Joshua 23:10 “Fights for you”

I Samuel 9:8 “tells us our way, I Samuel 10:9, “changes the heart,” I Samuel 10:10, “comes upon us mightily,” 2 Samuel 22:48, “executes vengeance for me,”

I Kings 4:29, “gives wisdom,” I Kings 18:21 calls us to “Follow Him,” I Kings 18:24, “answers by fire,”

I Chronicles 4:10, “grants what we request,” I Chronicles 12:8, “helps you,” I Chronicles 14:11, “breaks through my enemies,”

2 Chronicles 9:8, “delights in you,” 2 Chronicles 25:8, “has power to help,” 2 Chronicles 26:5, “prospered him,”

Ezra 2:8, “hand of God is favorably disposed to all who seek Him,”

Nehemiah 7:5, “puts His will in our hearts,” Nehemiah 9:17, “God of forgiveness,” Nehemiah 13:2, “turns the curse into a blessing,” Nehemiah 13:26, “loved by God,”

Psalm 14:5, “with the righteous,” Psalm 18:28, “illumines my darkness,” Psalm 18:32, “girds with strength,” Psalm 43:2, He “is my strength,” Psalm 43:4, “my exceeding joy,” Psalm 43:5, “the help of my countenance,” Psalm 46:1, “my refuge,” Psalm 49:5, “redeems my soul,” Psalm 50:2, He “shines forth,” Psalm 53:6, “Restores His captive people,” Psalm 56:9, “for me,” Psalm 57:2, “accomplishes all things,” Psalm 60:2, “Through our God we shall do valiantly,” Psalm 62:11, “power belongs to God,” Psalm 71:5, “my confidence,” Psalm 71:7, He “taught me,” Psalm 77:14, “works wonders,” Psalm 84:11,” a sun and a shield,” Psalm 86:15, “merciful and gracious,”

Ecclesiastes 3:14, “whatever God does will remain,”

Isaiah 5:16, “shows Himself,” Isaiah 40:1, “comforts His people,” Isaiah 40:3, “in the desert a highway for our God,” Isaiah 40:10, “comes with might,” Isaiah 50:4, “gives me the tongue of disciples to know how to sustain the weary one with a word,” Isaiah 51:22, “contends for the people,” Isaiah 62:5, “rejoices over me,”

Daniel 2:28, “reveals to His people,” Daniel 3:17, “able to deliver us,”

Amos 7:1, “shows me,”

Luke 1:78 revealed “the tender mercy of God,” Luke 7:16, “visited His people,” Luke 8:39, “done great things for us,” Luke 16:15, “knows our hearts,”

Acts 10:41, “chosen beforehand – verse 42, appointed by God,”

Romans 8:31, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 15:5, “gives perseverance,” Romans 15:13, “fills us,” Romans 15:33, gives “peace,” Romans 16:20, “crush Satan,”

I Corinthians 10:13, “faithful,” I Corinthians 15:28, our “all in all,”

2 Corinthians 1:9, “raises the dead,” 2 Corinthians 9:8, “able to make all grace to abound toward you,”

Philippians 2:13, “at work in you,”

Colossians 4:12, “assured in all the will of God,”

I Thessalonians 2:4, “approved by God,”

Ephesians 1:6, “accepted in the beloved,”

Hebrews 2:4, “bears witness with us,”

James 4:8, “draws near to us,”

2 Timothy 4:17-18, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Titus 2:11, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men…” Titus 3:5, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

And then I tell you, it is not a trite verse but the center of all glorious truth, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

And, then, Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” AMEN?

OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF THE “BURNING BUSHES” ALONG LIFE’S JOURNEY:

In Exodus 3:1-6 we read: Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of God appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near to this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.”

And then in Deuteronomy 5:22-24 there are awesome words of hope! “These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. So it was, when you heard the voice from the midst of darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. And you said, ‘Surely the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives.”

Creation itself is a ‘burning bush’ – Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God: and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”

The two tablets of stone by the finger of God is a ‘burning bush’ – Psalm 19:7-8 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple…The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

The Prophetic Word is ‘a burning bush’ – “Thus says the Lord…”

The cross of Christ is a ‘burning bush’ – Romans 5:8, “God proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Holy Spirit’s presence in us is a ‘burning bush’ – John said when Jesus came (Matthew 3:11), “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Do you remember? There was the “burning bush” in Genesis 3:8 when Adam and Eve “heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” and they HEARD HIS CALL! It got their attention!

There was the “burning bush” in Genesis 12 when a pagan man in a pagan land heard the divine command and obediently “went forth as the Lord had spoken to him.”

There was the “burning bush” in the isolation of ‘escapism’ in the midst of broken rlationships when (Genesis 28:12) Jacob saw a ladder, heard a voice, and declared “Surely the Lord in in this place, and I did not know it.”

There was the “burning bush” of a prophetic finger when David learned: “You’re the guilty man who needs to be reconciled to God.”

There was the “burning bush” of the ‘second chance’ when Jesus appeared to the distraught Peter who had bungled badly his oath of allegiance.

There was the “burning bush” of an obedient Phillip who went to the backside of a desert to witness and proclaim Christ to a confused yet hungry Ethiopian.

There was the “burning bush” of a flashing light on the Damascus Road that humbled Saul of Tarsus and changed him to a Paul the Apostle. [Examine Psalm 139:1-18!!].

OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF THE SINGING SYMPHONIES OF PRAISE:

Psalm 40:1-3 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord: and He inclined to me and heard my cry…He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay: and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm…And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God: Many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”

Yes, the Word speaks of the songs of God in I Chronicles 16:42! Daniel Webster said to have HYMNED is to have SUNG, PRAISED, OR CELEBRATED IN SONG! Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises: Sing praises to our King, sing praises!” In Psalm 69:30 the psalmist says, “I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Have you ever considered it? Why is there such a vast storehouse of Gospel Music all over the world in the Christian faith but in other ‘religions’ there is little if none?

And there is an answer! Religions are of the ‘head’ while the Christian Faith is of the heart! True salvation births “new songs”! God’s sustenance and faithfulness overflows into our celebrations! A filling and anointing in the Holy Spirit of the Almighty erupts into “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with our hearts TO THE LORD.” Just consider the awesomeness of Handel’s “Messiah”!!

Psalm 146:2 says, “I will praise the Lord while I live: I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” [Look at Psalm 150!!].

OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF SMITTEN SALVATION:

In Isaiah 52:13-53:12 we read, “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider. Isaiah 53:1-12, Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground, He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked – but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

What does I Corinthians 1:18 tell us? “The word of the Cross…(is what?)…THE POWER OF GOD!!”

“Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt…Yonder on Calvary’s Mount outpoured – there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt…Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold, threaten the soul with infinite loss: Grace that is greater – Yes, grace untold – points to the refuge, the mighty Cross…Dark is the stain that we cannot hide – what can avail to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide – whiter than snow you may be today…Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, will you this moment His grace receive?…Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.”

So Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though they are red like crimson they will be like wool…”

OUR GOD ALSO IS THE GOD OF THE SPOKEN WORD:

In Isaiah 46:5-11 we read, “To whom will you like Me, and make Me equal and compare Me, that we should be alike? They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god; they prostrate themselves, yes, they worship. They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it and set it in its place, and it stands; from its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’ Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed, I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.”

God spoke to men like an Abram and a Moses. He spoke to nations like Israel. He, yes, spoke to pagan kings like Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar. He spoke to cities like Nineveh. God spoke in certain times and seasons. He’s even spoken in circumstances or events we all face at times. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

We have the promise of Jesus in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I WILL COME TO YOU.” In 2 Samuel 7:29 David said excitedly, “…For You, O Lord God, have spoken: and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

In Numbers 24 God met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and sent him to Balak. And, in verse 19, when he met him he said: “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Sometimes it’s “the seven peals of thunder,” that have spoken. (Revelation 10:4). Psalm 60:6 says, “God has spoken in His sanctuary.” Isaiah 1:20 affirms it, “Truly the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

And then in Jeremiah 25:3 we read, “I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.” Are you listening? Are your ears tuned to hear God speak?

A failure to listen for God to speak to you is tragically what Oswald Chambers called “incarnate unbelief,” which means one has no faith, is god unto himself, is guided by personal feelings, and shutting the door in the face of God. This is not the day nor the time, really not ever, to shut God out of your life or ministry! Look to Him, listen for His voice, and rest in His Sovereign leadership and guidance – yes, hear Him speak to you!

Ezekial heard God!! In Ezekial 5:13 we read, “…then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in My zeal when I have spent My wrath upon them.” Then, Paul, in I Thessalonians 2:13 wrote, “…we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which performs its work in you who believe.”

And what did Paul say to Timothy? “ALL Scripture is GOD-BREATHED!!” Do you accept Jesus’ word? Matthew 4:4 says: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

“Holy Bible, book divine, precious treasure, you are mine; Mine to tell me from where I came, mine to teach me what I am…Mine to chide me when I rove; mine to show a Savior’s love; Mine you are to guide and guard, mine to punish or reward… Mine to comfort in distress, suffering in this wilderness, mine to show by living faith, man can triumph over death…Mine to tell of joys to come, and the rebel sinner’s doom, O Thou Holy Book divine, precious treasure, YOU ARE MINE.”

OUR GOD IS THE GOD ON FINAL, EARTHLY SUMMATION AND FULL, ETERNAL GLORY:

In Ephesians 1 Paul talked about the WORK AND WILL OF GOD, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father of us all! He said: Ephesians 1:3, “He’s “blessed us,” Verse 4, He’s “chosen us,” Verse 5, He’s “predestined us to adoption,” Verse 7, He’s “redeemed us through His blood,” Verse 8, He’s “lavished upon us the riches of His grace.” Then…

In Ephesians 1:9-12 we read, “He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him…(LISTEN!)…with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things in the earth…In Him…also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestine3d according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will…to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ, should be to the praise of His glory.”

There is such a strong, powerful, illuminating word in Colossians 1:18 which says: “…that in all things He [Jesus!] might have the preeminence!

Our lives are to be summed up in Christ! Our marriages are to be summed up in Christ! As parents we are to so live and teach our children that their lives also are summed up in Christ! Your business and work ethic are to be summed up in Christ! Your friendship relationships are to be summed up in Christ! Your visions, dreams, goals, aims, aspirations are to be summed up in Christ!

Does Jesus reign in your heart and in your home and in your work-a-day world?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“WHO ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD?”

I want you to come to Ezekial 36 first. We’ll share together verses 22-28, and then Ezekial 37:24-28, and then Hebrews 8:1-2, 6, 10.

Ezekial 36:22-28, “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,’ says the Lord God, ‘when I m hallowed in you before your eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”

Ezekial 37:24-28, “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.”

Hebrews 8:1-2, 6, 10, “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. Verse 6, But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Verse 10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

When you think about those who were not a people but now they are, when you think about those who were void in mercy but now filled with it, and when you think about those who had no abiding name but now they do, what do you say of them?

They’re called “the believers of the faith, saving faith,” “the Body of Christ,” “the Army of God,” “the soldiers of the Cross,” “the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ,” “the baptized ones,” “the Covenant crowd,” “the Christ-tians,” “the followers of the Way,” “the Born-again-ners,” “the sheepfold,” “the children of the Way,” “the children of Light,” “Wisemen,” “the Promised Bride,” “the Brotherhood of Love,” “the Israel of God,” “the sons of Promise,” “the citizens of the Kingdom,” “the Family of Faith,” “the branches of the True Vine,” “God’s Household,” “a habitation of God through the Spirit…”

But I like that holy covenant of Promise Word we just read, Ezekial 36:28, “So you will be My people, and I will be your God!” In Scripture, you’ll find “My People,” “Your people,” “His people,” “the people of the Lord,” “the people of His pasture,” “the flock of His people,” “Your great people,” “Your own people,” “the people of the God of Abraham,” “Your people called by Your Name.”

Samuel said in I Samuel 12:22b, “…the Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.” But you do realize that there are multitudes of people who have no desire at all to be the people of God.

Jude 12 speaks of those “caring for themselves,” and Genesis 11:4 speaks of those whose all-consuming life passion is to “make a name for ourselves,” a people of the world who’ve been squeezed into its mold, a people who think only of flesh, the temporal, and not of the Spirit or the Eternal!

But then there are “the people of God”! Who are they?

You’ll remember Exodus 32 and 33 and the “golden calf” madness of a people who rode “side-saddle” on the calf of deception, idolatry, and spiritual foolishness. And they heard from God, “I’ll see that you get to the land I promised you, but I will not go up in your midst.” And our God will never be with our deceptions, idolatries, or our spiritual foolishnesses!!

But THEY humbled themselves, and Moses interceded: Exodus 33:15-16, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all other people who are upon the face of the earth?” Who ARE these “distinguished” People of God?

IT IS THOSE WHO LIVE IN “THE REST” THAT THEY ARE CHOSEN OF GOD:

In Deuteronomy 7:6 Moses said, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God: the Lord your God HAS CHOSEN YOU to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”

Psalm 33:12 says, ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” I would remind you of what Paul said to the church at Rome, (Romans 3:10-11), “As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no not one…there is none who understands, there is none who seeks after or for God.”

But if now there are those ‘seekers for God,’ what happened? In Jeremiah 31:3 the prophet tells us, “The Lord appeared to me from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

Do you remember John 6:44? Jesus said, “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” He said later in John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I CHOSE YOU.”

In Revelation 17 it says that there will be those who “wage war against the Lamb.” It’s the way it has been and the way it will be! But also it says in verse 14, “and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords, and King of kings, [LISTEN!}, and those who are with Him (in Victory) are the CALLED, and CHOSEN, and FAITHFUL.”

So in Colossians 3:12-15 Paul says to us: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things, put o love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Then, in Hosea 2:19-20, 23 we read, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord. Verse 23, Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are MY PEOPLE!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’”

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO IN REPENTANCE ARE BROUGHT TO HIM:

In Luke 1:17 we read, “And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous: so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

John the Baptist was raised up with the ministry of repentance. Jeremiah was a major Old Testament prophet of repentance! In Jeremiah 5:3 he spoke: “O Lord, do not Your eyes look upon truth (and for truth)? You have smitten them, but they did not weaken. You have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock: they have refused to repent.”

John, in Matthew 3:2, began his ministry, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus, then, in Mark1:14-15, came “preaching the gospel of God,” saying “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe [or trust in, rely upon] the gospel.”

Before His ascension, in Luke 24:47, Jesus commissioned His disciples “that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed on the basis of His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Paul, to the Ephesian elders, Acts 20:21, stated he testified to both “Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Do you remember when Peter went before the elders in Jerusalem about Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit? When he explained the elders glorified God saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life!”

Look at 2 Corinthians 7:9-11! Paul said: “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO ARE JOYOUSLY REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB:

In Matthew 1:21 we read, “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” And do you remember when the mouth of Zacharias was opened that he prophesied? Luke 1:68 says, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people.”

Peter later said, I Peter 1:18-19, “you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver and gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Redeemed, not by religious activities, but by the blood of Christ. Redeemed, not by valiant attempts to live by the Golden Rule, but by the blood of Christ. Redeemed, not by consecrated devotion to the traditional teachings of men, but by the blood of Christ. Redeemed, not by manly attempts to live a moral life, but by the blood of Christ.

Titus 2:14 tells us, “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”

Jesus was and is “the merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. [Hebrews 2:17]. Then, Hebrews 13:12 tells us, “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people THROUGH HIS OWN BLOOD, suffered outside the gate.”

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO ARE JUSTIFIABLY RECONCILED TO GOD:

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-19 we read, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Did it say “reconciled us to Himself through Christ”? And he said it not once but twice! “RECONCILED”? There are two words here: ALLASSO, “to change, alter, exchange,” and KATA, “according to”. That’s ‘according to’ HIMSELF! He changes us, alters us, exchanges us “according to” JESUS!

We are reconciled to His PERSON – “we shall be like Him.” We are reconciled to His PURPOSE – “…saved us and called us with a holy calling…(2 Timothy 1:9) I Peter 4:2 says, “…live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” We are reconciled to His POWER – I Corinthians 1:24, “Christ, the power of God…” In His prayer for the Ephesian church Paul prayed, (Ephesians 1:19), that they might know “what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” We’re not the impotent – we’re the empowered; we’re not the addled – we’re the anointed; We’re not the empty – we’re the FILLED IN ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD.

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth that the word of the Cross of Christ IS the very power of God. [I Corinthians 1:18].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. [I Corinthians 2:4].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the faith that rests not on the wisdom of men but on the power of God. [I Corinthians 2:5].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth for our raising up through power. [I Corinthians 6:14].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the surpassing greatness of the power that is of God and not of ourselves. [2 Corinthians 4:7].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth that though we know we are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him and in Him because of the power directed toward us. [2 Corinthians 13:2].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth of the working of His power. [Ephesians 3:7].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the power of His resurrection. [Philippians 3:10].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth that we have been strengthened with all power according to His glorious might. [Colossians 1:11].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the truth of the glory of His power. [2 Thessalonians 1:9].

“In Christ” we are those who know and live by the power of His indestructible Life. [Hebrews 7:16].

“In Christ” we are protected by the power of god. [I Peter 1:5]. So, Revelation 19:1 says: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God” – and to Him we have been reconciled!!

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ROYALLY BLESSED BY OUR FATHER-GOD:

Psalm 144:15 says, “How blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!” Then in Psalm 67:7 the psalmist said, “God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”

The first two verses of Psalm 67 says: “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us – that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all the nations.”

If you haven’t read Ephesians lately, you need to be blessed by Ephesians 1:3 where Paul said that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” BLESSED US?

He’s blessed us because we’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb, Revelation 22:14. He’s blessed us because our hope is only in Him, Titus 2:13. He’s blessed us because we’re of the faith of Abraham, Galatians 3:9. He’s blessed us because we’ve been willing to be reviled for the name of Christ, I Peter 4:14. He’s blessed us because we died “in the Lord,” Revelation 4:13.

I love Deuteronomy 28:6 which says, We’re “blessed when we came in, and blessed when we go out!” And then in Verse 8 it says that God even commands the blessing! Glory!

Disciples of Christ are not foolish fanatics but faithful men and women who’ve become devoted to Holy God because of His undeniable loyalty to His servants! He’s “blessed us” and He keeps on “blessing”!

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THE FULLNESS OF HIS HEAVENLY AUTHORITY:

In John 20:21 Jesus said, “Peace be with you: AS THE FATHER HAS SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU.” Is that a call to a few or a calling for ALL His chosen disciples?

Revelation 1:5-6 tells us, “…To Him who loves us, and has released us from our sins, by His blood…and He has MADE US TO BE A KINGDOM, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

One of the great theological differences of men’s ministries is when the kingdom of God begins. For some it’s future while for others it is present, NOW. Let’s look at the Word!!

I Timothy 1:17 says, “Now to the King Eternal (of the ages), immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” Then, in I Timothy 6:15 Paul called Jesus “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”

And then John, in Revelation 1:9 gives us insight: “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and the kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus…” Is that clear to you? THE KINGDOM IS IN JESUS!! Then our Lord, in Luke 10:19 tells us, “Behold, I give you authority…” Then boldly in Romans 5:17 Paul illumines us more: “…much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will REIGN IN LIFE through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Did that say “reign in life” or reign when you get to heaven someday? To the Ephesians, Ephesians 3:10-11, Paul wrote: “grace was given…[LISTEN!]…in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places…This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which God carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

What about what Jesus had to day about all disciples, then and now? In Luke 12:32 our Lord and Master said, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM.” That’s THE KINGDOM OF GOD, THE KINGDOM RULE, THE KINGDOM AUTHORITY, THE KINGDOM PURPOSE AND PLAN, THE KINGDOM PROVISIONS AND POWER!

Didn’t He teach us to pray: “…YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ‘ON EARTH’ [in the here and now] AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.” GLORY!!

Jesus calls you in Christ “the salt of the earth,” “lights on the hills,” the Ezras and Nehemiahs building greater cities than old Jerusalem – we’re ushering in the New Jerusalem! And Daniel 11:32 says, “…the people who know their God will display strength and take action…” Tell me about your personal ‘game plan’ in helping Jesus Christ change the world!

Daniel 12:3 says, “And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Then in Daniel 7:13-14, “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”

Isaiah saw it! And he cried out: “Here am I! Send me!” God said, “Go, and tell this people!” And with that heavenly authority, we are His witnesses, we are “Kingdom” ambassadors of our Lord Jesus Christ!

THE PEOPLE OF GOD? THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ORDAINED AS TRUE WORSHIPPERS OF THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD:

Isaiah 43:21 says, “The people whom I have formed for Myself will declare My praise.” It was the psalmist, in Psalm 102:18, who said, “Let this be written for the generation to come; that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.”

Oh, I pray Jesus’ words in John 4:21-24 will truly speak to your heart and open it wide to worship and praise the Living God! It says: Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Our Lord said in Luke 19:40, “I tell you, if these (disciples) become silent, the stones will cry out!” The angels bless the Lord (Psalm 103:20). Even “the morning stars sing together for joy” – symphonies of praise to our God.

Why were the “Pharisees” so “in the face” of the disciples and so opposed to their joyful praising of Jesus? I like Arthur Pink’s definition of worship and it explains the void within the Pharisees and scribes. [It’s in his volume on John, p.208], “Worship is a redeemed heart occupied with God, expressing itself in adoration and thanksgiving.”

The Pharisees and scribes were devoted to print – disciples were devoted to the Prince!

The Pharisees and scribes were devoted to the page – disciples were devoted to the Author!

The Pharisees and scribes were devoted to the scroll and their interpretation of it – disciples were devoted to the Spirit of it and their need of Christ the Savior!

In closing this chapter, do you remember when the Word of God was rediscovered in the reign of Josiah, how it was read in his presence, and how he tore his cloths at the reading of the Word of God? Why? Because he knew that there was such a vast difference in what he heard and what he knew he and his people were or did or did not do! He was heart-broken!

Listen to me! “In Christ” we’re the people of God. We’re the Church, the Body of Christ, the fellowship of the believers – that’s those who are to BE the People of God. And yet too often there is such a difference in what we hear and know and what we do!

So what does God say? II Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Paul really nailed it down for us when in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 he wrote: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

How could a believer forget Jeremiah 2:32? “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number?” But we’ll not be those who forget – we’ll be those who fill Heaven with praise and adoration! We’ll not be those who wilt – we’ll be those who worship with great passion and fidelity! We’ll not be those drifting into complacency and indifference – we know Him, love Him, and will serve Him faithfully. We’ll not be those who look and act like unbelievers – we’re those who are “Living Stones,” true memorials to our Lord and Savior! We’ll not be those who are silent – we’ll sing His High Praises and make joyful sounds of true devotion to Christ Jesus!

Oh, don’t miss this: I Peter 2:9-10, “But YOU are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” Glory!!

I close this chapter with words from Habakkuk 3: 17-19, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls – yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills.”

“The People of God”? That’s those who have come to God’s open door to “the measure of the stature of the fullness of our Lord Jesus Christ”!! That’s those who say with Paul, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and, yes, even the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

“ENTER HIS GATES?”

It’s one of the greatest statements of faith found anywhere in the Word of God. It’s one of the most loved Psalms, Psalm 100: “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!…Serve the Lord with gladness…Come before His presence with singing…Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves…We are His people and the sheep of His pasture…ENTER INTO HIS GATES with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise…Be thankful to Him, and bless His name…For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.”

And His “enduring truth” still says to us, “ENTER HIS GATES”! In Luke 13:23-24 one said to Jesus, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And Jesus said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” What an awesome encouragement and warning!

Psalm 122:1-2 is entitled “A Song of Assents” – and I would ask you, are you ascending into the “gates of the Lord”?

“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!”

Bill Bennett, in his book, “The Book of Virtues,” [Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993, pps.479-480] included Henry van Dyke’s “Doors of Daring.” It says, “The mountains that inclose the vale with walls of granite, steep and high, Invite the fearless foot to scale their stairway toward the sky…The restless, deep, diving sea that flows and foams from shore to shore, calls to its sunburned chivalry, ‘Push out, set sail, explore!’…The bars of life at which we fret, that seem to prison and control, Are but the doors of daring, set ajar before the soul… Say not, “Too poor,” but freely give; Sigh not, “Too weak,” but boldly try; you never can begin to live until you dare to die.”

And Jesus our Lord straightforwardly declares: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” The steps of Jesus led Him straight to Jerusalem for an appointment with death!

There was a physical sacred city called the city of God, Jerusalem; also called the holy city. And just as God ordained its building with “gates,” what He did then He has done now. The “holy city” of the Spirit has “gates” they’re not “doors of daring”, but “doors of dependence”! They’re not gates of timbers and iron, but gates of eternal truth and heavenly inspiration and instruction!

We know what God had to say to Obadiah about Edom and Esau because we saw in the Word “The Advancing Amalek Army.” But we also need to learn of “the reasons of God’s judgment.” Listen to Obadiah 10-11, 13: “For your violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever…In the day that you stood on the other side – In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem – Even you were as one of them…Verse 13, You should not have entered the gate of My people in the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity.”

Will you stand within the gates of grace or will you be a violator, a foreigner, a stranger standing within the gates of judgment? What did Jesus say? “…for many, I say to you, will seek to enter (the straight and narrow) gate, AND WILL NOT BE ABLE!!”

Edgar Guest wrote “The Things That Haven’t Been Done Before.” It says: “The things that haven’t been done before, Those are the things to try; Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore At the rim of the far-flung sky,

And his heart was bold and his faith was strong as he ventured in dangers new, and he paid no heed to the jeering throng or the fears of the doubting crew.

The many will follow the beaten track With guideposts on the way. They live and have lived for ages back with a chart for every day.

Someone has told them it’s safe to go On the road he has traveled o’er, And all that they ever strive to know Are the things that were known before.

A few strike out, without map or chart, Where never a man has been, From the beaten paths they draw apart To see what no man has seen.

There are deeds they hunger alone to do; Tho’ battered and bruised and sore, They blaze the path for the many, who do nothing not done before.

The things that haven’t been done before Are the tasks worthwhile today; Are you one of the flock that follows, or Are you one that shall lead the way?

Are you one of the timid souls that quail at the jeers of a doubting crew, Or dare you, whether you win or fail, Strike out for a goal that’s new?”

I want you to know there is the goal of a new and living way – it’s the gates of God that lead to His eternal life and His eternal day. What did Psalm 100:4 tell us? “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…”

In Ezekial 43:5-12 the prophet tells us: “The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Then I hear Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name, they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places. When they set their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost by My doorpost, with a wall between them and Me, they defiled My holy name by the abominations which they committed; therefore I have consumed them in My anger. Now let them put their harlotry and the carcasses of their kings far away from Me, and I will dwell in their midst forever. Son of man, describe the temple of the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple.” [Did you notice: “its exits and its entrances”?]

Now come with me to Nehemiah 3=

Let’s LOOK AT THE LAMB’S GATE: Nehemiah 3:1, Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors…”

We certainly are His people and the sheep of His pasture, but to enter the Holy City, there is only one way! In John 10:7 we read, Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” Again, in verse 10 our Lord said, “I AM THE DOOR. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Remember, it’s called the “Sheep Gate,” or the “Lamb’s Gate.”

In Exodus 12:3-8, 21, we read: “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assemble of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.” Verse 21 then says: Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, AND KILL THE PASSOVER LAMB.”

And you’re unsure about the identity of the “Passover Lamb”? In Isaiah 53:7-11 we read “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was ‘led as a lamb’ to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken, And they made His grave with the wicked – but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.” Its verification?

In John 1:29 the Word of God says: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!”

In Revelation 12 John informs us about the ‘great dragon’ and our war with the Devil or Satan, and then in Verse 11 informs us: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Don’t take lightly your own spiritual warfare with the powers of darkness but, at the same time, rest in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that Revelation 13:8 tells us about: “All who dwell on the earth will worship him [that’s yielded to and devoted to the Devil himself] whose names have not been written in [God’s] Book of Life of the Lamb…”

Revelation 14:1 tells us, “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” And they are busy preparing for the “wedding” of the Lamb and Is Bride! Revelation 19:7 tells us, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” WOW!

The “Lamb’s Gate”? That’s entrance to God’s City of “Rest”! Matthew 11:28-29 says: Jesus speaking, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, For I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Charles Spurgeon, in his Memorial Library series, “Spurgeon’s Sermons, [Vol. 13, pps 311-312], wrote: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is intended as a refuge for those who have broken the law of God, whom vengeance is pursuing, who will certainly be overtaken, to their eternal destruction, unless they fly to Christ and find shelter in Him. Outside of Christ the sword of fire pursues us swift and sharp. From God’s wrath there is bout one escape, and that is by a simple faith in Christ. Believe in Him, and the sword is sheated, and the mercy and the love of God will become your everlasting portion; but refuse to believe in Jesus, and your innumerable sins, written in His book, shall be laid at your door in the day when the pillars of heaven shall reel, and the stars shall fall like withered fig-leaves from the tree.”

The “Lamb’s Gate”? That’s the entrance to God’s City of our eternal home!

It’s “a promised home” – John 14:2 says, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU.” Paul clarifies it to the Philippians and us when in Philippians 3:20 he wrote: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

It’s “a permanent home” – Philippians 3:21 says, “WHO WILL (might, maybe, possibly?) transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body,…”

It’s “a prosperous home” – Revelation 21:21 says, “And the twelve gates of heaven were twelve pearls (priceless): each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

It’s “a pleasurable home” – Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

The “Lamb’s Gate”? That’s the entrance to God’s City of abundant provisions! Doesn’t Philippians 4:19 tell us, “And my God SHALL SUPPLY all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

The “Lamb’s Gate”? That’s the entrance to God’s City of separation from all that is behind us! Judges 2:1 says, “Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers.” Oh, and listen carefully, thankfully: God leads US up from the world, from bondage, from sin and death, from a meaningless existence, from hollowness and helplessness, from the deception of the fruit of good and evil to the eternal fruit of one tree of hope and help of an empty tomb!

Let’s look at THE FISH GATE: Nehemiah 3:3 says: Also the sons of Hassenaah built the FISH GATE; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.” So.. what significance does that have for us today?

In Matthew 4:19 Jesus is calling His first disciples, saying to them, and us: “Follow Me, And I will make you [to become] FISHERS OF MEN!!”

In Romans 10:12-15 we read: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’”

Gabriel Marcel said: “Conversion is the act by which one is called to be a witness!!” Isn’t that what the Resurrected Christ told His disciples just before His ascension? Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Come to Acts 8! Acts 8:4 says, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.” ‘Preaching’ is the Greek word: evangelidzo!! That’s evangelizing, sharing the Word, sharing the faith, reaching out in the name of Christ Jesus!

Acts 8:5 says, “Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.” The word ‘preached’ here is the Greek word, KERUSSO, or “to herald,” “to blow the trumpet.”

Acts 8:6 says, “And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Phillip…” The word ‘spoken’ is the word “LEGO” or conversationally speaking to another!

Acts 8:25 says, “So when they had testified…” That word ‘testified’ is the Greek word ‘MARTUREO’ meaning “bearing witness to a fact you know about even to giving up your life if needed.”

Are you getting this beautiful picture? Deuteronomy 12:3 says, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.” It’s why the wiseman of Proverbs said, Proverbs 11:30, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

Again, “Conversion is the act by which one is called to be a witness!” Psalm 126:5-6 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy…He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing Bringing his sheaves with him.” IT HASN”T CHANGED! “RESCUE THE PERISHING!!”

Let’s look at “THE OLD GATE”: the Farrell Fisher translation? “The ANCIENT Gate”!

Nehemiah 3:6 tells us: “Moreover Jehoida the son of Paseah and Meshullum the son of Besodeiah repaired the OLD GATE; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars.” [Just a question since I’m fast approaching the age of 78!! “What’s so bad about the ‘old’ or ‘the ancient’?]

In Jeremiah 6:16 we read, THUS SAYS THE LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘WE WILL NOT WALK IN IT.’” Later, in Jeremiah 18:15 God spoke again, “Because My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in pathways and not on a highway…” [Could that be no desire to walk on God’s “Highway of Holiness?”] What is “The Old Gate”?

That’s the “ANCIENT GATE OF THE SOVEREIGN RULE OF HIM WHO IS CALLED THE ANCIENT OF DAYS! Daniel 7:9-10 says, “I watched till thrones were put in place, and THE ANCIENT OF DAYS was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire…A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.”

That’s the “ANCIENT GATE OF THE APPOINTED KINGDOM RULE OF HIS HEAVENLY SON!

Daniel 7:13-14, 18, says: “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him before near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. Verse 18, “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”

That’s the “ANCIENT GATE OF PROMISED VICTORY FOR THE SAINTS!

Daniel 7:21-22, 26-27 says: “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them,…until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. [But the beast arises, “speaking pompous words against the Most High,…persecuting the saints of the Most High…intending to change times and law”]. Verses 26-27, “But the court shall be seated And they shall take away the beast’s dominion, to consume and destroy it forever…Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”

Oh, yes, there is another Gate!! IT’S “THE VALLEY GATE”! Nehemiah 3:13 speaks of “the low place”. It speaks of the gate or the way of humility!

In Philippians 2:3-8 we read, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

For “proud societies” I know it’s difficult but James 4:10 tells us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” And God’s vision is not impaired!

I Peter 5:5-6 says, “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud; but He gives grace to the humble.’…Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

How powerful and liberating and challenging and convicting is the Word of God!! 2 Chronicles 7:14, “humble yourselves and pray – God answers! Psalm 10:17, God hears the desires of the humble. Psalm 25:9, God teaches the humble His way. Psalm 34:2, The humble hear and they rejoice. Psalm 37:11 The humble inherit the land. Proverbs 29:23 The humble obtain honor. Luke 1:52 God exalts the humble. James 4:6 God gives grace to the humble. James 4:10, God lifts up the humble.

What about in Nehemiah 3:14 the “repairing of the REFUSE GATE”?

Do you remember Exodus 12 and the preparations for Passover? Exodus 12:15 says, “..On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.” What is the Word telling us about “refuse”?

In I Corinthians 5:8 there is a word about “the leaven of malice and wickedness.” If you look at Verse 7 it speaks of “clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

Paul’s word to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:20-22 is so on target, not only for youth worldwide, but on target for all! “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself for the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, and prepared for every good work. Flee youthful lusts, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Do you know and understand what the will of God is for your life? In I Thessalonians 4:3 Paul said, “For this is the WILL OF GOD, YOUR SANCTIFICATION; that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” The word “sanctification” is a word that fundamentally tells us we are “set apart” for the honor and glory of God alone, set apart for His usefulness in kingdom allegiance!

It’s why in I Thessalonians 4:7 Paul said, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” We cleanse ourselves because “in Christ” we serve, represent, and honor the King of kings and Holy God. But beyond what we just read, what about what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 7:1? “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

We cleanse ourselves because we’re called with a high and holy calling. We cleanse ourselves because we possess a holy hope – being like Him. We cleanse ourselves because of our ministries of salt and light. We cleanse ourselves so Christ feels at home in us. We cleanse ourselves because cleanliness in Spirit is better than dirtiness of the flesh. Next Gate?

There is “The FOUNTAIN GATE”: Nehemiah 3:15, “ Shallun..repaired the Fountain Gate.”

I want you to look first at John 7:38-39 where Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water…But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Then later, in John 16:7 Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage (necessary) that I go away: for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Oh, and then, in John 20:22, after telling the disciples that ‘as the Father has sent Me, I also send you,” Jesus “Breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Some appropriate little brooks – others choose the flow of the mighty Niagara Falls. Some choose to dig in desert sands for a small drop of water – others choose the flow of a mighty Amazon or Nile River of the Spirit.

The Fountain Gate speaks of entering the flow of God Himself. The Fountain Gate speaks of standing on the promise of available power. The Fountain Gate speaks of resting in the fullness of Him who fills all in all. The Fountain Gate speaks of receiving available provisions of the fruit of the Spirit. The Fountain Gate speaks of trusting the baptism of Holy Ghost fire sweeping over us like the wind of a fire-cloud into the very glory of God. The Fountain Gate speaks of the acknowledgement of our impotence, but also the announcement and availability of His inexhaustible supply of His great power.

Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”

Jack Taylor, in “The Key To Triumphant Living,” [Broadman Press, Nashville, 1971, p.81], wrote: “How marvelous is the figure of a RIVER…a RIVER: is involuntary and doesn’t have to try. A river is unselfish and available wherever it goes. A river is the picture of confidence and power and doesn’t have to babble like a brook! A river is consistent and keeps on keeping on. You don’t have to prod it. A river is a picture of constant cleaning. Cast pollution in it and it will sweep it away. A river is a symbol of courage. Put obstacles in front of it, and it will overwhelm them. A river speaks of available power. It runs factories and turns lights on all over the country.” Do you see the necessity of the Fountain Gate? No production, no power, no lights apart from the anointing of the mighty Spirit of God!

This is why Paul wrote Ephesians 5:17-18, “Therefore do not be unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is…And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT!! Let the river flow through you!

But Jeremiah 2:13 says, God speaking, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water.” And then in Jeremiah 17:13 God says, “Those who depart from Me shall be written in the earth. Because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters.”

But there is another option!! Zechariah 12:10 says, God speaking, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

Let’s meet together, right now, at “THE WATER GATE”: Nehemiah 3:26 says, “Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of the WATER GATE…” How absolutely thrilling is God’s precious Word!

Come to Nehemiah 8:1-6, 8-9, Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose…and Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground….Verses 8-9, So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.”

In Ephesians 5:25 Paul spoke of how Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it…and then in Verses 26-27 he said, “that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word…that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” I pray you are familiar with the ministry of the Word of God – individually, as a family, as a nation, and, yes, throughout the world!

Psalm 107:20, “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” But come to Psalm 119!! It majors on God’s Word: Psalm 119:9, “How can a young man cleanse his way> By taking heed according to Your word.”

Psalm 119:11, “Your word have I hid in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” Verse 25 speaks of “revival” according to God’s Word! Verse 28 speaks of “strengthened according to God’s Word!” Do we walk around with fleshly, spaghetti, or like muscles or mighty muscles of Almighty God?

Psalm 119:49 says, “Remember the word to your servant upon which You have caused me to HOPE.” Then verse 89 speaks of God’s Word “settled in heaven – FOREVER.” In verse 105 the psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Then in verse 165 he said, “Great peace have those who love Your word, and nothing causes them to stumble.” Receive His holy Word as your daily bread!

Next, let’s look at “THE HORSE GATE”: Nehemiah 3:28 says, “Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house.” The HORSE GATE?

Proverbs 21:31 speaks of “The Horse prepared for the day of battle”! Tell me about your own spiritual preparation to “fight the good fight of faith”! Jeremiah 8:6 speaks of “The Horse rushing into battle!!” Oh, but then it gets really personal here when in Zechariah 10:3b we read: “For the Lord of hosts will visit His flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as His royal horse in the battle…!”

What does Revelation 19:19 tell us? “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.”

Ernest Shurtleff wrote the great hymn entitled, “Lead On, O King Eternal.” It says: “Lead on, O King eternal, the day of march has come; Henceforth in fields of conquest Your tents shall be our home. Through days of preparation Your grace has made us strong, And now, O King Eternal, We lift our battle song…

Lead on, O King Eternal, Till sin’s fierce war shall cease, And holiness shall whisper The sweet Amen of peace; For not with swords loud clashing, Nor roll of stirring drums, With deeds of love and mercy The heavenly kingdom comes…Lead on, O King Eternal, We follow, not with fears; For gladness breaks like morning Where’er Your face appears; Your cross is lifted o’er us; We journey in its light: The crown awaits the conquest: Lead on, O God of might.”

Let’s look at “THE EAST GATE”:

Nehemiah 3:29,”…After him Shemaiah …the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs.” Malachi 4:2 says, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of righteousness SHALL ARISE with healing in His wings.”

Without a doubt I believe this East Gate is that gate of looking, preparation, anticipation, even longing, for the soon return of the King of kings and Lord of lords! Matthew 2:2 says of ‘the wise men’ from the East that they came seeking: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him!”

Matthew 24:27 makes it even clearer: “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

But God’s Holy Word inspires us to always ‘be ready’ as if today were the day keep your eyes fixed on the East! Revelation 22:12, 16 says, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work, Verse 16, I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”

Almeda J. Pearce wrote a classic hymn entitled “When He Shall Come.” It says: “When He shall come, resplendent in His glory, To take His own from out this vale of night, O may I know the joy at His appearing – Only at morn to walk with Him in white!…When I shall stand within the court of Heaven Where white-robed pilgrims pass before my sight – Earth’s martyred saints and bloodwashed overcomers – These then are they who walk with Him in white!…When He shall call, from earth’s remotest corners, All who have stood triumphant in His might, O to be worthy then to stand beside them, And in that morn to walk with Him in white!”

Revelation 3:4, Jesus speaking, “You have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

Lastly, let’s look at “THE ASSIGNMENT – APPOINTMENT – RECRUITMENT GATE”: Nehemiah 3:31 tells us about Malchijah making repairs…in front of the Miphkad Gate, “inspection” or “recruiting gate.”

In 2 Timothy 1:9 Paul shared with Timothy the call to share in the sufferings ‘FOR THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD,’ telling him, “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works [or plans], but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before time began…Verse 10, but now has been revealed…”

Do you remember as we began this study that we heard Jesus say, “Strive to enter through the NARROW GATE?” O but now, listen to Psalm 31:8, “You, God, have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; YOU HAVE SET MY FEET IN A WIDE PLACE!!”

I tell you, it’s a wide place of spiritual adventures. It’s a wide place of touching the infinite and laying hold of the supernatural. It’s a wide place of expanding horizons within the Sovereignty of God. It’s a wide place of grasping the heart and ministry of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It’s a wide place where the bubbling of the spring becomes a mighty river of incomparable love feeding the world with grace and mercy.

Disciples of Jesus are not those confined in a small place suffering from ‘cabin fever’ – they are the ones who’ve entered the gate of holy calling and soar with Christ in the heavenly places. Though they may live in a small town they are consumed with the spirit of global-mindedness. They’re those who’ve been lifted to the vast vistas of world vision. With Abraham their desire is to be a blessing to all the nations of the earth.

John saw a vision in Revelation 5:9-10 – it’s of those singing THE NEW SONG: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation…And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”

Luke 13:22-30 is both a warning AND a reason to rejoice in the Lord! It says: “And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open for us, and He will answer and say to you, I do not know you, where you are from; then you begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say to you, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

It was Bob Moorehead, pastor in Seattle, Washington, in the book “Standing Tall” by Steve Farrar, who wrote: [pps. 165-166], “I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit’s power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look up, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, stored up, and stayed up the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.”

And I’d say Bob Moorehead’s color is “blood-red” from the very veins of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God! Amen?

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“THE WAYS OF GOD?”

I did a message a number of years ago entitled “Restraining Affection.” One of those restrained affections was ‘the restraining affection of a limited knowledge of God.’ Several things I want to make mention of to introduce “The Ways of God”: Romans 10:1-2 showed us those who “have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge.” In Titus 1:16 we learn of those who “profess to know God, but by their deeds deny Him.”

It doesn’t let up much at all! In John 17:3 Jesus said, “this IS eternal life, that they might KNOW YOU, the only True God and Jesus Christ whom You sent”, but how many really “know” Him? We learned in that message Hebrews 10:30-31, “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengence is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people – IT IS A TERRIFYING THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

And then in Hebrews 3:10 we read, “Therefore I was angry with this generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts; and they did not know My ways…(as a result) Verse 11, ‘As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.’” How serious does it sound to you to know God and His ways? But God is gracious and merciful which explains both Jesus’ presence AND the Cross!

So our Lord and Savior tells us in Matthew 10:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Moses learned the grace and mercy of God – and I don’t want you to miss what Moses said: Exodus 33:11-14, So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, SHOW ME NOW YOUR WAY, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.’ And He said, “y Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’” The psalmist wrote, Psalm 103:7, “He [God] made known His ways to Moses.” And if He did that for Moses, will He do that for you?

There are those who profess that they’re the people of God – they ‘profess’ that they know His ways, or they profess they want to know His ways, but in Psalm 95:10 God declare, “…they do not know My ways…” But then there are those who come to the spiritual crossroads of life and say, “I don’t even want to know Him or His ways.”

In Job 21:7, 13-15, are words you can hear regularly, and your heart is broken. Listen, and choose Him, not a sin-blackened heart! Job 21:7 says, “Why do the wicked live and become old, Yes, become mighty in power?” A sobering question – or should be! Then, Job 21:13-15 says, “They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?’”

There are those who settle for the fringes of His ways – Job 26:14, “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways: and how faint a word we hear of Him!” The fringes of – but not His ways!

But then, there are those who hunger, long, desire, walk with the very breath of life in them only to know Him: Philippians 3:10 is Paul saying, “that I may know Him!!” And Daniel 11:32 gives people like Paul a heavenly promise: “…the people WHO KNOW THEIR GOD will display strength and take action.” There are several things I want you to clearly understand:

One, GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIS WAYS:

Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” I sense God focuses on us because of His great love for us – the man who is the furtherest throw away from God is the man loving God is most concerned about!

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are completely His, whose hearts are steadfast.” But you must understand and be genuinely awakened in Truth: God doesn’t unveil Himself to the divided heart! Psalm 25:9 says, “…He teaches the humble His way…”. God doesn’t reveal Himself to the proud and arrogant! Psalm 25:12 says, “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose…” Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.” David put it even stronger in Psalm 103:17-18 when he wrote and sang: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them”

God doesn’t manifest the beauty and glory of His life when there is no fear of Holy God. David was so bold about himself before the Lord. In Psalm 25:4 he cried out to the Lord: “Make me know Your ways, O Lord.” He said in verse 5, “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.” Are you seeing “the surrendered life”? Are you sensing a hungering heart? Do you possess a longing soul for God Himself? Or are you ‘blind’ to what or WHO you need to see?

Understand: God doesn’t pull back the curtain to a prayer-less, self-satisfied heart.

Two, GOD NOT ONLY WANTS US TO KNOW HIS WAYS, HE WANTS US TO BE ONE WHO WALKS IN HIS WAYS:

In Deuteronomy 8:5-6 are two significant, eye-opening verses that should awaken you if you’ve lapsed into indifference to God and His ways – “You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. THEREFORE you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to WALK IN HIS WAYS and to fear Him.”

You know Moses had a true heart for God – and Moses had a heart for His people also. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2,Moses said: “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord.”

Didn’t Jesus ask a very pertinent, pointed statement when He said, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but you do not do what I say?” I hate to be the one to shock you to your senses, if needed, but ‘obedience is not an option in the day of grace’! Obedience is the hallmark of one who has truly been born again!

In Deuteronomy 19:9 we read: “and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three..”

Have you truly come to grips with the evidence of “saving grace”? Ephesians 2:1-2 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…” Paul said later in Ephesians 4:1, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”

But the Word of God, the Holy Word of God, exposes the false foundations of disobedient, reckless, self-centered living, when in Isaiah 42:24, we read God’s response to that kind of a lifestyle: “Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord against whom we have sinned? And in whose ways they were not willing to walk? And whose law they did not obey?”

Here they are! They knew or know His ways – but they chose, then and now, not to walk in them! Doesn’t Jeremiah 5:1-5 give us a saddened picture of, yes, even modern-day rebellion concerning those who refuse to walk in His ways? It says: “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; see now and know; and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her. Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely.” O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved; You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor, they are foolish; for THEY DO NOT KNOW THE WAY OF THE LORD, the judgment of their God. I will go to the great men and speak to them, for they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God.”

The Book of Hosea is one great prophetic word, yes, for our modern world to discover the ways of God! In Hosea 14:9 His Word tells us, “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous WILL WALK IN THEM, but transgressors will stumble in them.”

God’s Holy Word overflows with “promises” He makes – Zechariah 3:7 says, Thus says the Lord of hosts, “IF you will walk in My ways, and IF you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among those who are standing here…” How exciting is I Kings 3:14? “And if you WALK IN MY WAYS…then I will prolong your days.” It’s in Isaiah 58:13-14 where God gives the challenge of us, all humanity, desisting from all our ways, and yielding ourselves to God’s ways, delighting ourselves in Him, then He will cause us to ride on the high hills of the earth and feed us with the heritage of Jacob.

But commitment is required! Psalm 37:5 is so clear: “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” Then in Psalm 50:23 we read, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to him who orders his way aright, I will show him the salvation of God.” As a result of the eternal choice of God’s ways for your life, Psalm 138:5 says, “And they will sing of the ways of the Lord: For great is the glory of the Lord.” Are you singing yet?

Three, WHAT ARE THE WAYS OF GOD?

Without hesitation, it’s easy to say God’s ways are the ways of greatness! Deuteronomy 10:17 says, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality or takes a bribe.”

He’s great and awesome in His creative power: Genesis 1:1 begins, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The prophet Isaiah hear Him speak: Isaiah 45:6-8, “That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things. Rain down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.”

He’s great in the eternal Cross of Christ: I’m sure you know John 3:16 by memory! But you haven’t attached eternal significance to Christ’s shed blood and broken body dying on the Cross for your salvation?

He’s great in His character and great in His awesome acts! Deuteronomy 7:21 says, “… for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you.” I Chronicles 16:25 says, “For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised…” Has your life of faith matured to the point that you have become one disciple who more and more erupts in praise and adoration for the glory of God like a spiritual volcano that never subsides?

How does the Word describe His greatness? “Great deliverance,” “great judgments,” “great power,” “great terrors,” “great fires,” “great voice,” “great work which He did,” “great wrath,” “great name,” “great things He has done for you,” “the greatness of His victory,” “great mercies,” “great lovingkindness,” “great compassion,” “great goodness,” “Great King of all the earth,” “great peace,” “great glory,” “great sword,” “great wisdom,” “great law,” “great faithfulness,” “great vengeance,” “great signs,” “great day of the Lord,” “great love wherewith He loved us,” “great salvation,” “great Shepherd of the sheep”!

In Mark 10:42-45 we learn about “sharing” in His greatness! But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Yes, there is the way of greatness!

There is the way of the mother hen! Matthew 23: 37-38 says, Jesus speaking, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate..”

His way is the way of blamelessness or “having integrity”: 2 Samuel22:31, 33 tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.. Verse 33, “God is my strength and power, AND HE MAKES MY WAY PERFECT.” This is why in Psalm 101 David wrote: Verses 2-3, “I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”

His way is the way of straightness! In Acts 13:9-10 Paul confronted Elymas the sorcerer: “Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?’” Oh, but of course, we don’t have to worry about that attitude in America, do we? Again, David, in Psalm 125:5 said, “But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord will lead them away with the doers of iniquity.” Do you remember John beginning his public ministry, and they asked him, John 1:23, “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord.’”

His way is the way of LIFE: I love what Peter said in the beginning of his public ministry in Acts 2:25-28, “For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades [or “among the dead”]. Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.” But you have a better way of life than Jesus’ way?

His way is the way of Righteousness and Truth: In Revelation 15:3 we read, They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints!” Isaiah 64:5 says, “You, God, meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways.”

His way is the way of Blessing: Psalm 67:1-2 the psalmist gives us both an invocation and a doxology. He wrote: “God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.” Have you ever heard someone say, “God wants me to be happy.” No, He wants you “blessed” – happiness is here for a moment, then gone away in the dark clouds! But God’s ‘blessing’ is forever. Plus, God isn’t interested in your happiness – He wants you to be HOLY!

His way is the way of the stronghold: Proverbs 10:29 is so clear: “The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright.” In Him, you don’t have to be uptight when you walk upright because we have a mighty fortress in our God, a bulwark never failing. It’s a stronghold of strength, love and compassion, protection, provision, and Holy Presence! Psalm 48:3 says, “God, in her palaces (the Holy City) has made Himself known as a stronghold…”

His way is the way of Sovereign Leadership: In Genesis 24:27 we read: And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brothers.” Isaiah 48:17 says: Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who LEADS YOU BY THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO.” And, praise God, that Word is still true today. He will open doors for you, and He will close the doors you do not need to be headed toward!

His way is the way of PEACE: Isn’t it interesting as you look at world events, national crisis, family eruptions, church splits – Isaiah 59:8 says, “The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace.” Don’t you remember that Jesus’ promise is for the “peace that passes all understanding”! Glory!

Then, lastly, His way, is the Everlasting Way: Habakkuk 3:6 simply says: “His ways are everlasting..” In John 10:27-28 Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

In Oswald Chambers’ book “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.93], he wrote: “God has ventured all in Jesus Christ to save us, now He wants us to venture our all in abandoned confidence in Him. There are spots where that faith has not worked in us as yet, places untouched by the life of God. There were none of those spots in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. “This is life eternal, that they might know You.” The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.” That central place of power? Walking in His ways, walking in step with our Lord and Savior, and, yes, walking in step with His people!

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“WHERE ARE ALL HIS MIRACLES?”

The question of this chapter is what Gideon asked the Angel of the Lord in Judges 6 – and it is a pointed, personal, powerful question for all disciples of our Lord to be examining! Certainly, Gideon was asking concerning three areas of a disciple’s spiritual journey: 1) “Where are all His miracles …that our fathers told us about, 2) that our nation once knew, 3) And that our walk with God experienced in the infancy of our faith and pilgrimage.

Thomas Fuller, in his book entitled “Church History,” [Vol. 2, p.239) said: “Miracles are the ‘swaddling – clothes’ of infant churches.” No doubt that statement is truer, but miracles also are the garments of salvation disciples are to be walking in! Miracles are not to be the exception, but the explanation of the Indwelling Life of Christ in every true believer! That’s those believers made totally available to Almighty God and the Resurrected Christ and the very present power of the Holy Spirit!

In Numbers 11:23 the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited?” It’s not the Lord’s power that is limited but the limitations of the Lord’s people that they carry around, even doubting its modern-day availability!

Deuteronomy 3:24 says, “O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand: for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?”

But the psalmist asked, Psalm 79:10, “Why should the nations say, ‘Where Is Their God?” But is it God that is the problem when miracles appear as ancient acts or is it us? Must we have to say to the nations, ‘Our God is asleep?’ ‘Our God doesn’t do what He once did?’ Or ‘Miracles were for another day and age and no longer are they applicable to New Covenant people!’ I don’t think so! GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER!

Hear what Spurgeon had to say, and receive it, walk in it, and apply it to yourself and the church of these ‘last days’! [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Vol. 17, p.95], “Some deny miracles; and if they also deny God, I will not at this time deal with them. But it is very strange that anyone who believes in God should doubt the possibility of miracles. It seems to me that, granted the being of a God, miracle is to be expected as an occasional declaration of His independent and active will. He may make certain rules for His actions, and it may be His wisdom to keep them; but surely He must reserve to Himself the liberty to depart from His own laws, or else He has in a measure laid aside His personal Godhead, deified law, and set it up above Himself. It would not increase our idea of the glory of His Godhead if we could be assured that He had made Himself subject to rule, and tied His own hands from ever acting except in a certain manner. From the self-existence and freedom of will which enter into our very conception of God, we are led to expect that sometimes He should not keep to the methods which He follows as His golden rule. This has led to the universal conviction that miracle is the proof of Godhead. The general works of creation and providence are to my mind the best proofs; but the common heart of our race, for some reason or other, looks to miracle as surer evidence; thus proving that miracle is expected of God.”

A miracle? What is it? Listen to Robert South: “A miracle is a work exceeding the power of any created agent, consequently being ‘an effect of the divine omnipotence’!”

I want my life, my family, my ministry, my church, my nation, to be an effect of divine omnipotence! It was Vance Havner, in his book, “Repent or Else”, [p.18], who said: “A lot of Sunday-morning Christians, who want to sit with folded hands and listen to a mild discourse on the Teacher of Galilee, need to be aroused from their stupor by a vision of the flaming Christ of the Candlesticks.” I’m telling you, the church TODAY needs to become a true body of believers ‘ship-wrecked on His Sovereignty and stranded alone on the Sea of His omnipotence!

Isn’t it absolutely amazing to you that Jesus had to say to a church, [Revelation 3:20], “Laodecia, Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” “WHERE ARE ALL HIS MIRACLES”?

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN “BURIED IN THE ATTITUDE OF SELF-PITY” IN THE MIDST OF LIFE’S CIRCUMSTANCES RATHER THAN THE APPROPRIATION OF GOD’S AVAILABLE PRESENCE, PROPHETS, AND PROMISES TO SEE HIS SERVANTS THROUGH:

In Judges 6:1, 6-10 we read, “Then the children did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years. Verses 6-10, So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. Also I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed My voice.”

Do you understand “pity parties”? That’s a trap we set for ourselves binding us in our natural inabilities while thanksgiving is release to the availability of God’s supernatural power! Pity parties are paralyzing, but appropriation is liberating!

In Acts 16, beginning at verse 16, as Paul and Silas were ministering to a slave girl who possessed a spirit of divination and received deliverance, her masters were more than annoyed by Paul and Silas – they had them imprisoned! Opportunity now for a “pity party”? No! How about appropriation through prayer to Holy God? Acts 16:25 says, “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns, and the prisoners were listening to them.” The result? A great earthquake, prison doors opened, chains loosed, and a multitude of prisoners get saved!

We fix our eyes on ourselves so often, on our circumstances, on our enemies, that we cannot see or recognize the awesome hand of God! The Word doesn’t say, “Fix your eyes on your circumstances!” It says, “Fix your gaze upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith!”

We need to see every moment of every day the crucified, risen, ascended, reigning, glorified and coming King of kings and Lord of lords who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we ask or think! We need to see the Christ of the Golden Candlesticks whose countenance overshadows us, brighter than the noon-day sun, whose eyes are like fire, and whose voice is like the sound of many waters.

We need to see Him (Colossians 2:15) who “disarmed the rulers and authorities, who made a public display of Satan and the powers of darkness, who stripped them naked, triumphing over them.”

If we really bow down to the Lord Jesus, if we really submit ourselves to His authority, if we gladly become His servant, under His Sovereign control, there is no circumstance we are not over! Why? Because He rules and He reigns – and we learn to let God be God in us and through us! If you haven’t, then confess your self-pity, abandon it at the altar and receive the prophet’s word and walk on with God in His miracle-working deliverance!

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY A WALK OF DISOBEDIENCE RATHER THEN OPENED BY A WALK OF OBEDIENCE:

In Judges 6:10 we read, ‘Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed My voice.” In Deuteronomy 7 we read about God’s passion to bless those who obey Him – and you would think that that is the desire of every believer, but sadly it is not! Deuteronomy 7:9-14 tells us: “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who Keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them. THEN it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. You shall be blessed above all peoples…”

Do you remember His Word? “Tell the sons of Israel, ‘Go forward,’” and as they did, the Red Sea was opened and they walked on dry land and the armies of the enemy were destroyed! Do you remember? “Stretch forth the withered hand” – and as he did, the hand was restored! Do you remember? Elijah to the widow of Zarephath, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” “I have no bread, only a handful of flour and a little oil.” “Make me a cake first, then you and your son. For thus says the Lord, ‘the bowl of flour shall not be exhausted nor the jar of oil empty until the day that the Lord sends rain on the field of the earth.’ She went and did as Elijah had spoken.”

Where are all His miracles? There was a poll nationwide that said 90% of Americans believe in God, and we know there is a church just about on every corner of American cities big or small, yet the spiritual climate of America is in a sick stage near death. It doesn’t seem to equate! You look at the seven churches in Revelation 2, 3, and 5 were in great need of the miracle power of God restoring them to their first love! And if we are going to see God’s miracles again, there must be a ‘revival’ of obedience!

Listen to Finney, quoted in Havner’s book, “Repent or Else,” [pps. 15-16], “Revival is the renewal of the first love of Christians, resulting in the conversion of sinners to God. It presupposes that the church is back-slidden and revival means conviction of sin and the searching of hearts among God’s people. Revival is nothing less than a new beginning of obedience to God, a breaking of the heart and getting down in the dust before Him with deep humility and forsaking of sin. A revival breaks the power of the world and of sin over Christians. The charm of the world is broken and the power of sin overcome. Truths to which our hearts are unresponsive suddenly become living. Whereas mind and conscience may assent to truth, when revival comes, OBEDIENCE to the truth is the one thing that matters.”

HIS MIRACLES ARE BARRED BY A LACK OF APPRECIATION OF GOD’S DIVINE MANDATE: Again, in Judges 6:14-16, hear the word of the Lord: “Then the Lord turned to him (Gideon) and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?’ So he said to Him, ‘O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manessah, and I am the least in my father’s house.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Is there an appreciation, a deep appreciation, for the mandates of our Master and Lord? In John 20:21 He said, “Peace to you! As My Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And they go in their own strength? No! John 20:22 says, And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” With have the Master’s Divine Mandate plus Holy Spirit anointing!

In John 14:12 our Lord says even now to us: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.” What an amazing word! Do you possess heavenly appreciation for our earthly mandate?

HIS MIRACLES ARE BOUND UP IN FEAR, EVEN FEAR OF FAILURE, RATHER THAN TRUE BIBLICAL FAITH THAT CALLS UPON GOD TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG:

In 2 Chronicles 16:9 we read, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

Do you have even a faint idea of the dilemma of one who has no idea of the God who has shown Himself strong but they settle in to try and stand on a false foundation of fear?

I want you to come back to Judges 6 and follow carefully every word in verses 17-24: Gideon said, to God, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.” And God said, “I will wait until you come back.” So Gideon went in and prepared a young goat, and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot; and he brought them out to Him under the terebinth tree and presented them. The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.”

Then in verses 36-40 Gideon is either unsure of God, afraid of his own failure, or doubting himself that God could use him as a leader! That’s what these verses are about! Gideon didn’t need a fleece – he needed the unconditional offering of full surrender to the will of God for his life, submission, yes, even celebration that God had confidence in him whether he did or not! Gideon had been touched by the signature of God on his life – but he was genuinely afraid.

Is God with us? Is God with you? Why not say to Him, “Lord, consume my fears and give me a strong faith; Lord, light the fire of your blazing glory in me; Lord, show yourself strong! A fleece? Why not faith in the faithfulness of God! But, at the same time, I don’t believe it was ‘doubting Thomas’ but a man who wanted only in the divine certainty of the Living Christ’s presence, power, plan, and promise. We should not be those who ‘kick against the pricks, but those subject to the hands of our Lord’s control!

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BETRAYED AND BLOCKED BY THE ACQUISITION AND ACCEPTANCE OF IDOLS AS AN ORDINARY PART OF ONE”S LIFE:

Look again in Judges 6:25-29! It says, Now it came to pass the same night that the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s young bull, the second bull of seven years old, and TEAR DOWN THE ALTAR OF BAAL THAT YOUR FATHER HAS, AND CUT DOWN THE WOODEN IMAGE THAT IS BESIDE IT; and build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this rock in the proper arrangement, and take the second bull and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the image which you shall cut down. So Gideon took ten men from among his servants AND DID AS THE LORD HAD SAID TO HIM. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, there was the altar of Baal, torn down; and the wooden image that was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was being offered on the altar which had been built. So they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And when they inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”

Do you remember the word of the Lord coming to Ezekial? Ezekial 14:2-3 says, And the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I let Myself be inquired of at all by them?” I believe you know the answer!

And, sadly, most Americans don’t even know what ‘idolatry’ truly is from God’s perspective! But Colossians 3:5 informs us: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, WHICH IS IDOLATRY.”

Are you aware of what you’ve just read? The Holy Word of God explains much of America’s fall into idol worship, even by many in the church! Rather than devotion to Christ Jesus, many faithfully bow before their idols in their minds, bodies, and, yes, their hearts – they’re captured, bound, imprisoned, to the world, the flesh, and the devil!

Have you cut down and burned the idols in your own heart and mind? Is your life hidden with Christ in God? To what or who do you bow before each day? “Where are all His miracles?” In the born-again, surrendered, yielded life – not to idols, but yielded to Christ alone! That’s THE MIRACLE!

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BESEIGED BY A FEAR OF MAN THAT LIMITS THE FULLNESS OF GOD:

In Judges 6:30-32 we read: Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has torn down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the wooden image that was beside it.” But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Would you plead for Baal? Would you save him? Let the one who would plead for him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him plead for himself, because his altar has been torn down!” Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, “Let Baal plead against him, because he has torn down his altar!”

It’s for sure: Joash had no fear of man, but at least he did have a fear of God. Proverbs 29:25 tells us, “The fear of man brings a snare [a trap], but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe [or secure].” The fear of men is wicked, but the fear of God is heavenly blessing. But it is true that some earthlings have no confidence in God Himself but fear of men dominate their every turn – and they suffer with a spiritual disease that is quickly cured when God has His rightful place in their lives. If we know God is our ‘help’, why should one ever fear?

It’s faithlessness in God Himself that breeds fleshly fear of fallen men! God doesn’t birth cowards – He births sons of God. God doesn’t birth men who are overcome by the fear of what men could do to them, but births men who know God is their defense and their defender!

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY FLESHLY DEVOTIONS RATHER THAN FAITHFUL DEPENDENCE UPON THE SPIRIT OF GOD:

There is such an interesting verse in Judges 6:34 which tells us: “But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon..” Came upon? It’s a word that basically means “took possession of”!

But those who doubt, are afraid of, or ignorant about the Holy Spirit’s ministry in their lives offer God “best effort” which shuts the door on God’s blessing their lives in the anointing of His Spirit and power – they want to “wing it” on their own, producing only death not heavenly life.

Do you remember our Lord’s words to His disciples right before His ascension? John 20:21-22 says: So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!!” Has that changed? Not from Jesus’ point of view, but certainly from those who trust in fleshly devotions, miracles are strange events they want no part of.

In Luke 5:17-26 you find Jesus forgiving and healing the ‘paralytic but also you see the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and the scribes, who in their ‘fleshly devotions’ are opposing Jesus! That attitude has not changed even today!

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY THE INTELLECTUAL RATIONALIZATIONS OF NICKLES, NUMBERS OR NOSES, RATHER THAN THE INFINITE REVELATION – “GOD IS ENOUGH”:

In Judges 7:2 the Lord spoke to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”

In that story God shared with Gideon that if Israel went out on its own to defeat the Midianites that they would internalize the victory and it would be their personal glory – not God’s. So, He told Gideon, “Too many men, Gideon! Send home those who are afraid, and 22,000 left the battlefield!” Another large number of Israelites failed God’s test the second time, leaving only 300 men against a strong nation’s might! And their weapons? God, torches and trumpets!!

Look at Deuteronomy 8:10-20! “When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. BEWARE that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end – then you say in your heart ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember thye Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods and serve them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.”

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN, ARE, WILL BOOMERANG THROUGH DOUBT AND SPECULATION OF THE UNUSUAL, MIRACULOUS, SUPERNATURAL, RATHER THAN RECEIVED IN AN ATTITUDE OF HUMBLENESS, PRAISE, AND WORSHIP:

In Judges 7:12-15 we read, “Now the Midianites and Amalikites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude. And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.” Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.” And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshipped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”

In Matthew 13:53-58 we read about Jesus going back into His own country. He went into the synagogue to teach them, but they doubted Jesus and His teaching! They were “offended at Him” – and verse 58 tells us: “Now He did not do many mighty works THERE because of their unbelief.” Does that attitude of unbelief still hinder Jesus’ miraculous ministry?

How about Abraham? Romans 4:20-21 says: “He did not waiver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being FULLY PERSUADED that what God had promised, He was also able to perform.” Amen?

HIS MIRACLES HAVE BEEN BLIGHTED BY A SPIRIT OF “FALLING SHORT” RATHER THAN ENDURING TO THE END:

In Judges 8:4 we read: When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three men who were with him “crossed over”, exhausted but still in pursuit.”

Isn’t it interesting to you that Jesus said in Matthew 20:16 that “Many are called, but few chosen”? You are aware, I pray, that you as a man, like Gideon, are chosen to fulfill God’s purpose in and through your life! No doubt this is why Paul said of himself, in I Corinthians 9:22, “…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Life with eternal purpose, life with a divine design, life with eternal intent!! But the spirit of “falling short” of God’s plan short-circuits one’s walk of faith! Oswald Chambers wrote in “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.221], “All God’s men are ordinary men made extraordinary by the matter He has given to them. Unless we have the right matter in our minds intellectually and in our hearts affectionately, we will be hustled out of our usefulness to God.”

And I pray that is not an indictment of your spiritual walk and journey but an illumination of God’s intent for your spiritual journey – YOU WILL BE ONE AVAILABLE TO GOD FOR HIS MIRACULOUS MINISTRY!!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“IS THERE IN YOU PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS?”

The calling of God on a man’s life is such a high and holy calling. To be ‘in Christ Jesus’ is to be a vessel, a container, set apart for the glory of God through availability to the Indwelling Lord and Savior and Master of life.

I want you to read so carefully and prayerfully Revelation 1:4-6, “Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and HAS MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS TO HIS GOD AND FATHER, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Do YOU say ‘Amen’ to that?

In I Peter 2:4-5, 9, we also read: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 9, But YOU are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Then in 2 Timothy 1:8-9 we read, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” WOW!

Next foundational word for this chapter? I Peter 5:10, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”

God’s Holy Word is so inspirational, instructive, illuminating for us His divine intent laid out from the overflow of His heart and mind before the world had even been established! In Leviticus 16:21-22 we read about “the scape goat”! The Lord had spoken to Moses with instructions: “Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”

And if you haven’t learned it as yet, “Christ Jesus IS God’s ‘scape goat’ in our behalf on the Cross with His broken body, shed blood, and dying form! Yet, many have not returned to the Lord! In Amos 4:11-12 the prophet spoke: “I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord. Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, PREPARE TO MEET YOUR GOD!”

Holy God is concerned, not only with the lost, the separated, the unbelievers, but also His own children of faith who take lightly spiritual preparedness and readiness. This is what apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are all about because we read in Ephesians 4:12-16, that these teacher-servants are given “for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” What an awesome foundation for us in this chapter!

So Jesus in His loving spirit of compassion said to us in Matthew 24:42-44, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

What was it Jesus said to Simon Peter about preparation and readiness? Look at Luke 22:31-32, And the Lord said to Simon, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” The wise man of Proverbs 24:16 told us, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.” Who are you? The righteous man who falls and gets up or the wicked man content in his calamity?

In Matthew 22:8-14 Jesus speaks to us all about preparation and readiness. He Said: Then the king said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Preparedness and Readiness? What is it all about?

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS OF THE HEART:

In Psalm 78:7-8 we learn absolute essentials for reconciliation to Holy God. It says, “That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that DID NOT SET ITS HEART ARIGHT, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.”

2 Chronicles 12:14 tells us about King Rehoboam. It says: “And he did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” And that’s the calling on every man’s life, past, present and future: Prepare your heart to seek the Lord!

Samuel had gone to Bethlehem at the Lord’s request, and he saw Eliab, saying to those around him, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” But I Samuel 16:7 is God’s response to Samuel’s flawed response about Eliab. God said: “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Do you remember the question David asked in Psalm 23:3? “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?” And God’s response? Verse 4, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart…”!! Well, that’s certainly a dilemma if you look only inwardly to yourself and do not look to the God who graciously offers “new hearts”! Isn’t that what God tells us in Ezekial 36:25-27? “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

In John 7:38 Jesus tells us, “He who believes in Me, [that’s trust in, rely upon, adhere to], as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Since the lost man’s heart is a diseased heart, spiritual heart-transplant is his only hope of being reconciled to Holy God. Prepare, get ready to meet Him face to face!

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS TO REMOVE EVERY OBSTACLE:

2 Timothy 2:19-22 hits the nail dead-center on the head of God’s concern for every disciple of Christ. Paul wrote to his young spiritual so, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,” and “let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Our journey of faith in Christ is not ‘happen-chance’ but holy commitment to be, to become, all God desires of us – and that’s explained in Colossians 3:9-10, “Do not lie to one another, SINCE you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have PUT ON THE NEW MAN who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

Here’s how Oswald Chambers explained it in “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.222], “When looking back on the lives of men and women of God the tendency is to say – What wonderfully astute wisdom they had! How perfectly they understood all God wanted! The astute mind behind is the Mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the Divine guidance of God through childlike people who were foolish enough to trust God’s wisdom and the supernatural equipment of God.” Oh, how strong and on target is that!

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS FOR THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES EVERY DISCIPLE FACES:

In John 16:33 Jesus speaks to us as His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

There’s an interesting word Paul shared with the church at Corinth when in I Corinthians 14:8 he said, “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?” That may explain the Ephraimites when Asaph said in Psalm 78:9, “The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.”

The Christian walk, the path of true disciples, the highway of holiness, always leads to a battlefield. For some it’s in their marriage, for others it’s parental-children conflicts, for businessmen it’s war with a crooked associate, for college students who serve Christ it’s war with a godless professor, for churches it can be a ‘false preacher’ who betrays the Word he professes loyalty to, for true pastors it’s ungodly men who see themselves ‘sent by God’ to keep the preacher straight –spiritual walks in Christ always leads to ‘your cross,’ ‘your war,’ ‘your test,’ and you cannot escape it, but you can prepare just like a soldier on his way to a war-front! Antagonism to the true faith and loyal disciples of Jesus is the recognition that trouble is rooted in everyone’s journey with Jesus, but there is the promise of His people leaning on Him coming out a ‘winner’ not a loser, a victor not a victim, a champion not a dejected, defeated, defiled son!

I love 2 Chronicles 20:15 which says: Thus says the Lord to YOU, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” Amen?

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS TO KEEP OUR LAMPS ALIGHT:

In Luke 12:35-37 Jesus tells us, “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.” Are your lamps burning?

The call on your life as a disciple is the call to walk in the light as He is in the light, yet many ‘professing disciples’(?) choose to walk in darkness. And the ‘darkness of disillusionment’ is a black cloud, not only overshadowing many, but producing doubt, cynicism, and even rejection of the Christ-life they claim to hold.

I pray what Jesus had to say in Matthew 25:1-13 will be a light exposing your darkness if you’ve let it in or a light that reveals your devotion to the only Lord and Savior: “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now, five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!” Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

In John 5:35 Jesus described John like this: “He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.” Will Jesus rejoice over your light as it reveals His fullness in you?

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS FOR THE APPROVAL OF GOD:

I Corinthians 9:23-27 informs us not only of the approval of God but “striving for the crown.” I was a high school and collegiate football player for my high school team in Cleveland, Tennessee, and was on football scholarship at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. I can assure you that I never played to lose but to win! What did Paul tell the Corinthians? “Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

To Timothy Paul wrote: 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly diving the word of truth.”

Yes, and did you know or did you fly by what Paul said to the Corinthians why he disciplined himself in the things of the Spirit-real? BECAUSE HE HAD NO DESIRE TO BE DISQUALIFIED!! That is NO APPROVAL FROM GOD HIMSELF! That ought to scare the living—– out of you!

But there are ‘professors of faith’ who are not possessors of the true faith – they are ‘pretenders’! And in Titus 1:15-16 Paul wrote: “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.” But is it your strong desire to be “approved by God”?

THERE IS THE PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS TO DIE:

In 2 Timothy 4:5-8 Paul wrote: “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

I’ve already told you earlier in this book of my heart attack on April 27, 2013. My son Scott took me to the hospital just moments after we arrived back from Houston, Texas, having attended a three-day conference there. I had chest pains from across my left shoulder straight across to my right shoulder. At the emergency room an EKG was ordered: Two minutes to do the EKG, two minutes for the emergency room doctor to read it, and immediately he said to the 7 or 8 attendants working on me: “Get him out of here to surgery; he has less than an hour to live!”

Down that hospital corridor they ran with me, up an elevator, into the surgical wing – and at 8:30 on a Saturday night, there was my heart-surgeon doctor ready to perform a miracle: my main artery was 100% closed, there was a huge blood clot ready to break loose and kill me, but Holy God intervened! And here’s the miracle of grace: I had no fear AT ALL – if my Lord wanted me in Heaven, I was ready to go! Are YOU prepared to die?

I ministered for 25 years all over India leading pastors’ conferences, open-air crusades, and youth evangelism outreach. On one of my memorable trips I so clearly heard God say to me: “The church of India will blossom, but it will blossom by the blood of the martyrs.” India’s pastors are prepared to die!

THERE IS PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS TO PREACH, TEACH, OR SHARE THE WORD OF GOD:

Thank God for Paul’s passionate concern for the young Timothys. He wrote in 2 Timothy 4:1-2, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, PREACH THE WORD! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

Why is that? Because in the ‘last days’ church of the 21^st Century, Verses 3-4, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Do you realize and understand what Paul was talking about as he shared the “falling away-ers” from the true faith and word because of their “itching ears”? Well, be assured, God hasn’t called you to “scratch” itching ears but to preach, teach, and share with others the revelation of God’s Holy Word! And that’s even if it costs you your life! Beware of any “community of faith” (?) that has no real emphasis on the revelation of God’s Word!

In I Peter 3:15 Peter wrote: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” Are you ready?

THERE IS PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS FOR THE WEDDING DAY:

In 2 Corinthians 11:3 Paul challenged the church in Corinth and, yes, churches everywhere: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Does it appear to you that some “professors” might not prepare for the wedding day?

In Revelation 19:5-8 John heard a voice from heaven saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, AND HIS WIFE HAS MADE HERSELF READY.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

There should be no surprise as to who the “bride” is preparing for the wedding day, but Revelation 17:14 tells us: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and THOSE WHO ARE WITH HIM are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Romans 5:10 opens the door to your preparation and readiness for that eternal “wedding day”. It says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.” Are YOU “being” saved by His life?

In 2 Corinthians 7:1 Paul wrote: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” The “bride” prepares herself, making herself ready for the wedding day. And verse 3 of this same chapter lets us know this bridal path preparation when Paul said the Corinthians were in his heart “to die together and to live together.” I thought it was ‘live together so they could die together.’ That may be the natural world, but in the Kingdom of God it’s daily taking “the sentence of death” that we might share in resurrection life, resurrection power and resurrection hope – dying together so we eternally live together wedded to our Lord and Savior!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“WHERE’S THE GRIEF?”

In Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 are words that express true cycles and events of a pilgrim’s journey. It says: “There is an appointed time for everything…A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” But for Israel Jeremiah had to ask, Jeremiah 15:5, “Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will mourn for you, or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?” Certainly God’s “chosen people” have little support – and if Israel was destroyed [which it won’t be] who would mourn but those who share God’s heart?

In Matthew 11:16-17 Jesus said: “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to other children…and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and yet you did not mourn.”

No grief or no mourning about personal, spiritual tragedies, or, yes, national reversals from God-fearing to a godless society, is like an evil ‘scum’ settling over the population at large! Rather than a genuine Godly sorrow, many societies just settle into a gall of bitterness. You’ve sensed it no doubt when spiritually there is no clear shining sun, no fresh spring rains of revival or renewal, no cooling clouds – only horrible spiritual hurricanes that pummel your life –only spiritual volcanic eruptions all around you, only dark, dark clouds of suffering, demonic attacks, Satanic interference…and no one seems to care!

But you don’t mourn or grieve alone – if you – because in Matthew 5:4 God’s Holy Word tells us, Jesus speaking, “Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.” I pray that you understand if you are one who does grieve over the spiritual climate surrounding you that you understand that your “grief” is but the shadow of God’s Holy Presence!

In Isaiah 53:3 the prophet tells us about Jesus: “A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” Grief or sorrow is out of the divine nature of God Himself! Grief or sorrow is assurance of eternal presence! No grief, no sorrow over the spiritual condition of individuals or a nation is evidence of a spiritual disease that needs and must have divine healing.

In Ezekial 9:4-6 The Lord said to the prophet, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” To the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is a mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were before the temple.”

Why was that? Because there was little grieving and mourning over the sins of the city and the nation! And God said, “Begin with the elders in leadership of My temple!!”

There’s another prophetic word God gave to Amos. Notice Amos 6:1-8, “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and trust in Mount Samaria, notable persons in the chief nation, to whom the house of Israel comes! Go over to Calneh and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory? Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, who cause the seat of violence to come near; who lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on your couches, eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall; Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; Who drink wine from bowls, and anoint yourselves with the best ointments, BUT ARE NOT GRIEVED FOR THE AFFLICTION OF JOSEPH. Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives, and those who recline at banquets shall be removed. The Lord God has sworn by Himself, the Lord God of hosts says: ‘I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.” No grief, no mourning – and God moves in judgment!

To mourn? The dictionary says, “to express grief or sorrow; to grieve; to be sorrowful…mourning may be expressed by weeping or audible sounds, or sobs, sighs or inward silent grief…to lament.”

To grieve? “To feel pain of mind or heart; to be in pain on account of an evil; to sorrow; to mourn.” Do you understand whether its grief or mourning over a broken marriage, or a wayward teenager, or a rebellious nation, or godless leaders, or a compromising pastor or church people, or lost family members and friends separated from God, your brokenness can hold back God’s judgment?

Is it possible that, “where there is no grief or mourning or sorrow” over the situations of life you find yourself in, that we can [and will] have God’s grief birthed in us if we call on Him? Yes, if one is willing to accept it and share it with Him! It begins with:

THE GRIEF OF GOD OVER THE SIN OF MAN THAT YOU WILLINGLY ACCEPT:

In Genesis 6:5-6 we read: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and HE was GRIEVED IN HIS HEART.”

The author of “Green Pastures” wrote: “It ain’t no picnic bein’ God…”. [That was John Jasper.]. And you begin to understand and grasp the awesomeness of God’s heart for you and me! John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In Isaiah 1:2-9, 18-20 we hear both the mind of God and the heart of God, His grief and His grace: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, My people do not consider.’ Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; strangers devout your land in your presence; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah. Verses 18-20, Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Listen to Jesus and the grief in His own heart as He spoke about Jerusalem: Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” And the result? Verse 38, See! Your house is left to you desolate!” But you don’t believe that’s our Lord’s concern about you or your nation?

WHAT ABOUT THE GRIEF OF CARING MEN OVER THE LOSTNESS OF OTHERS AND THEIR SEPARATION FROM GOD?

In Romans 9:1-3 we read the heart of Paul the Apostle: “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.”

One of the greatest dangers any professing disciple of Christ faces is a cold, cold heart concerning the lost, the perishing, the alienated from God folks! If there is no sorrow and grief over the separated from God people, it means one has become extremely shallow in his faith. And I’m not thinking of the sorrow of the rich young ruler because riches had become his god – his sorrow was because he had become disillusioned when he realized the bondage of self-love and what possessed him – and he certainly was not willing to let it go! But Jesus reached out to him, He sought to touch him with grace and mercy, He targeted what had his heart and sought to truly make him rich in faith! Who do you reach out to?

Do you remember Psalm 126:5-6? It says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seeds for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

What was our Lord’s commission to the early church and has it changed? “You shall be My witnesses…!!” Are you busy about the Father’s business?

THERE IS ALSO THE GRIEF OF THE FALLING OF THE MIGHTY:

I Samuel 15 is such a powerful word to all of God’s people, and, yes, a word of warning concerning our obedience or lack of it as the Lord commissioned us. It’s about Saul as Samuel came to confront him. The commission of God to Saul was to go and Amalek and utterly destroy that people – none were to be spared!

Saul did attack them, but I Samuel 15:9 says, “but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep…” Look with me at I Samuel 15:13-23. We read: Then Saul said to Samuel, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.” So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said to Samuel, ‘But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” Verse 35 then says, And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.” Enough said here!

THERE IS ALSO PARENTAL GRIEF OVER THE FALLING AWAY FROM GOD OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS:

Proverbs 10:1 is so very clear, “A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother..” And then in Proverbs 17:25 we read, “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.”

Isn’t it absolutely sad for parents who live Godly lives, lay their lives down in ministry and service to their sons and daughters, and, yes, train them well in the Word and by example, to have to face the devastation of their sons and daughters because they choose the world not God’s will, they choose fleshly devotion to a fallen self not faithfulness to a loving Savior, they choose loose living morally to living in and by the Holy Word of God!

For parents that is horrendous, a heavy weight hard to carry, and even a hellish assault on their own faith! Rather than God’s spirit of grace on their sons and daughters some parents are crushed as they witness sons and daughters bound by spirits of deception, bound by the control of demonic spirits that have taken their children over with hellish mind control, broken-hearted as they watch sons and daughters sold out to the spirit of godlessness.

How sad is it when a broken-hearted parent reads a passage like Proverbs 19:16 which says, “He who keeps [God’s] commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless [reckless] of his ways will die.” And at least those parents set aside to the glory of God grieve over wayward children.

THERE IS THE GRIEF OF A DEPARTED GLORY:

Ephesians 3:21 says, “to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” That’s God’s aim, His divine will and pleasure, His goal for every life to live under the glory cloud of Holy Presence, for the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ to reign supreme in every heart, every home, every church, every life – glory all around!

But when you look to Lamentations and then look around you, one is heavy-laden by the absence of God’s glory cloud! Lamentations 1:20 speaks of one in great distress because of that recognition that His glory has departed. It says, “See, O Lord, that I am in distress; my soul is troubled; my heart is overturned within me, for I have been rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, at home it is like death.”

Why is it? You know what Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” But that’s so difficult for many to face up to – so they substitute glory in God for a spirit of godlessness in themselves!

It may be hard for a godless society to accept, but I believe the Holy Word is convicting and convincing, so follow carefully I Corinthians 5 which says: “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles – that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”

THERE IS ALSO THE GRIEF OF THE WORD-TESTING:

Didn’t we just read in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 5 two statements “inspired by God’s Holy Spirit” – Verse 9, “I wrote to you in my epistle…” and Verse 11, “But now I have written to you…”

In 2 Corinthians, again, Paul stresses the vital importance of openness and obedience to God’s divine will! 2 Corinthians 6: 11-12 the Apostle said, “O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.”

Do you grasp what we’ve just read? Grief always overshadows a life that is resistant to the Holy Word of God! Didn’t Jesus tell us in Matthew 4:4, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”?

Go to Genesis and read carefully God testing Abraham. Remember? “Take Isaac to the land of Moriah, offer him as a burnt offering on the mountain.” Abraham told his two servants traveling with him that “we will come back to you.” He was going to be obedient and offer Isaac, and he expected “a resurrection”! In verse 12 of chapter 22 of Genesis God said as Isaac laid on the altar, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.” [Check out Ezekial 21:1-17!!].

BUT ALSO WHERE IS THE GRIEF OVER THE NEEDY?

In Job 30:25 we read: “Have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?” And there is no doubt God’s compassion SHOULD flow through us to the poverty-stricken physically, but just as passionate God’s people must “care” for the spiritually poor! Isn’t spiritual poverty as great a threat to a society as physical poverty? Neglect of either is not an option God’s people should hold!

Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Then in Psalm 35:9-10 David was being persecuted, but he called out to the Living God because he knew God’s heart: “And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?’

But we who are in oneness with Jesus have no concern, no ministry, no outreach, no compassion for the poor? “As Jesus is, so are we in this world?”

THERE IS THE GRIEF OF A POTENTIAL BETRAYAL AND A PERILOUS FALLING AWAY:

In Matthew 26:17-25 we learn about Judas! But then follow carefully verses 31-35! Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.

Do you understand the fragileness of ALL disciples when persecution is unleashed? In Zechariah 13:7 it says: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered…”

Mark 14:21 should plant the fear of God in any and every true believer! It says, “The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”

The Prophet Jeremiah puts before us awesome words of warning when he told us in Jeremiah 22:8-10 these words: “And many nations will pass by this city; and everyone will say to his neighbor, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this great city?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods and served them.’ Weep not for the dead, nor bemoan him; weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.”

THERE IS THE GRIEF THE WALK OF DEATH PRODUCES:

In Matthew 26 Jesus had gone to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. In verses 37-39 we read about this momentous night in the life of our Lord AND three of His disciples: And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

And you do understand – I’m not only talking about one’s facing the reality of physical death that can produce ‘grief’ about dying in many hearts, but I’m talking about the struggle between ‘flesh’ and Spirit that we all must face and fight, and some ‘fear’ that death to self or, yes, death to their old sin natures! There’s no doubt that ‘grief’ concerning a sharing of “the afflictions of Christ” that Paul talked about has and will generate grief in some hearts, but here is to be a “continuing” in the faith, grounded and steadfast and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you’ve centered your life in! Hold on! Don’t give away to ‘grief’ the walk of death can produce!

THERE IS, OR SHOULD BE IN EVERY BELIEVER, GRIEF OVER HARDENED HEARTS:

In Mark 3:1-5 we see this possibility for today: And Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there with a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.”

Did you notice Jesus “grieved by the hardness of their hearts”? And I have no doubt about some who hear the demands of discipleship, His call to be broken bread and poured out wine, His call to disciples to take up their own crosses and follow Him, and they say, “I’ll not be squeezed by anyone, crushed by anything to make His wine, or accept the call of a cross for anybody or anything,” and as a result, they walk away from the greatest relationship and opportunity they could be a part of – they don’t – and Jesus grieves over hardened hearts.

THERE IS ALSO THE GRIEF OF “TOO-LATE” TEARS:

Oh, how I pray that the Holy Spirit will come fully upon you and bring holy conviction on you if these verses relate to you: Hebrews 12:14-17 says, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” “Too-Late Tears”!! “Too Late!!” Some determine they have time – but it was “too late”!

I close this chapter with James 4:7-10. I pray you receive it right now: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Would you please go to Revelation 21 and read carefully Verses 1-8, and verse 27!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“WHY GLORY IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST?”

I know as well as you that modern men major on an awful lot of things, but it certainly doesn’t mean that most men ‘glory in the Cross of Christ’! Modern men, separated from God, indulging fallen flesh, and possessing no interest in our Lord’s death on the Cross, are totally devoted to the ‘old man,’ to their fallen flesh or old sin nature, and though they do not know it or understand it, they are bound by the powers of darkness and serve like a slave of the old Roman empire!

Fallen men, away from God glory in themselves, glory in the accumulation of more and more money, glory in their fame or name that they make for themselves, glory in their indulgent, fleshly, sin natures, and really do celebrate and rejoice in their sinfulness!

I love what Oswald Chambers had to say when he said, “The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me.” And sadly most men do not know that “the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” You would think that would be good news for a sin-bound man, but some find their bondage enjoyable and saving faith a “downer”!

But in Isaiah 52:13-15 we read, “Behold, MY SERVANT shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider.” And that certainly is my desire for every alienated soul living apart from “amazing grace” that they shall see His face, hear His voice, sense His Spirit, and repent toward God and put their faith in the finished work of Christ at the Cross!

I don’t know if you know it or ever really considered what happened to Jesus as He was beaten, battered, spat upon, and, yes, stripped naked as they nailed Him to the cruel Cross – it was shameful! And no Roman was ever put to death on a cross – but they nailed Jesus to the Cruel Cross! But the question is: “Why [should you] Glory In The Cross of Christ?”

If a ‘self-glorying’ man ever slows down long enough, opens his ears to gospel truth, becomes sick with ‘amiable religiosity,’ is convicted by the Holy Spirit of his sinful bondage, and pauses long enough and seriously enough to view naked Jesus on the Cross because of Jesus’ love for that man to forgive him and set him free from his sin problem – if “he lifts up Jesus in His mind and his heart, Jesus will draw him unto Himself” in saving grace and mercy!

This is why Oswald Chambers wrote in “My Utmost For His Highest,” [p.264], “The calling of a New Testament worker is to uncover sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior [and I say Lord also], consequently he cannot be poetical, he must be sternly surgical. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful discourses. We have to probe straight down as deeply as God has probed us, to be keen in sensing the Scriptures which bring the truth home and to apply them fearlessly.” If that’s true – and it is – let’s begin:

WE ARE TO GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY SATISFACTION OF OUR SIN DEBT BEFORE HOLY GOD:

God set the terms of your ‘sin-debt’ forgiveness! Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of God’s grace…”

There is another vital verse that must penetrate all of our minds and hearts. It is I John 2:2 where John wrote: “And He Himself [Jesus] is the PROPITIATION for our sins, and not ours only, but also those of the whole world.”

What did John the Baptist say when he saw Jesus coming? “BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!!” One of the old, old hymns that still holds a special place in my heart is the hymn, “There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood”:

“There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood, Lose all their guilty stains…The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in his day, And there may I, tho’ vile as he, Wash all my sins away…E’er since by faith I saw the stream Your flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die…Then in a nobler, sweeter song I’ll sing Your power to save, When this poor lisping, stammering tongue, Lies silent in the grave.” This hymn was written by William Cowper.

Paul told the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

I pray you have understanding of our Lord’s revelation! I Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also died for our sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…”

Isaiah 53:10 tells us: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” Why? Because Verse 11 says, “He shall see the labor of His soul and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.”

Hallelujah! Jesus took our iniquities and nailed them to His Cross Himself as He suffered, bled, and died to take away your sin! Glory in Him!!

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS BECAUSE IT OPENS THE DOOR TO THE HOLY PLACE:

Hebrews 10:19 is so very, very clear. It says, “Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…”

Do you know what the Great High Priest used to do before he entered the Holy Place in the tabernacle? Only the Great High Priest could go in once a year only, and that after great spiritual preparations! But in case he overlooked something and died on the spot as he entered the presence of God, he had tied a long rope around his ankle so the priests outside could drag him out from the presence of God. But NOW?

In Matthew 27:50-51 we read, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit…and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom..” What is that all about? That is our Lord, through the Cross, opening the door to the Holy Presence to all of God’s people!

Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters the veil!” But you see no reason to glory in Christ Jesus?

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS BECAUSE IT REVEALS THE DEPTH OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US:

Romans 5:8 is so on target! It says, “But God proved His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

But I do believe some take God’s truth and twist it, determining for themselves, not His Word, that His forgiveness is a license to do as I please since God is so loving and forgiving! How preposterous and unbelieving is that! Do YOU really believe the tremendous price of Jesus’ suffering and death on the Cross was to give you an open door or free pass to sin as you please?

If, according to Isaiah 49:5, that God formed Jesus “to be His Servant” and through conversion we’ve been made One With Christ, how is that freeing us to do as we please in a ‘free-sinning lifestyle’?

Consider again John’s message in John 3:16-21! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

And, Romans 8:35 asks, and then answers: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” I have a question: “Does your trouble or troubles traumatize God? Does your bad experiences in life limit what God can do in your behalf? Are your “wounds” exempt from the wonders of His love, grace, and mercy?”

Listen to me – I’m telling you: “In Christ” even “bitter seasons” become “sweet blessings” because He will never leave you nor forsake you! Spurgeon preached a message that caught my attention. It was based on Ecclesiastes 11:3 which says: “If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth,” and his message was entitled “Black Clouds and Bright Blessings.” [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Vol.11, p[.225].

Look with me at Ephesians 3:17-19! It says: “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST which passes knowledge; THAT YOU MAY BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD.”

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE IT RELEASES THE VICTORY TO OVERCOME SIN IN OUR DAILY LIVES:

Romans 6:14 is so very, very clear: “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are no longer under the law (of sin and death!!), but under grace.” And God’s grace is greater and stronger than your old sin habit! But it does require our yielding ourselves as servants of our Lord and Savior and not to our old sin nature – we yield ourselves to the victory of His “Blood Atonement”!!

If our Lord and Savior said, “Go and sin no more,” then when do some professing believers say they can’t do anything but sin until they get to Heaven? How convenient for the compromisers!

If our Lord and Savior said, “Go and sin no more,” then why do fleshly pleasure seekers shut their ears and their hearts to the finished work of Christ on the Cross in their behalf? Do you remember Jesus having a woman caught in adultery brought to Him by the Pharisees? That’s John 8. And in verses 10-12 we read, When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Romans 6:22 tells us: “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE WAY OF EXALTATION:

Come to Philippians 2:5-11, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus humbled Himself and was exalted, lifted up. Jesus made Himself of no reputation and was exalted. Jesus took the form of a bondservant and was exalted. Jesus humbled Himself and was exalted. Jesus was obedient to the point of death and was exalted. But as His “followers” we are free to choose a different way to be exalted? I don’t think so!

It was Phillips Brooks who said: “Jesus Christ, the condescension of divinity, and the exaltation of humanity.” His guiltless blood was shed for men’s guilty hearts so that through repentance and faith they may be exalted with Him!

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY SOVEREIGN GOD DETERMINED SALVATION BY FALLEN MEN COULD BE OBTAINED:

Acts 4:12 is the foundation of building a lasting ‘house of faith’ in God! It says: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” And that name that saves? Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Emmanuel –“God with us”!

Paul told the Corinthians in I Corinthians 15:1-3, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, IF you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES…”

Do you understand ‘reconciled to God’? And if it is necessary, essential, and is by God’s determination alone – what does His Holy Word tell us? Romans 5:10 says, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

You are not put into a right relationship with Holy God because you are ‘religious,’ or because you do religious acts, or because you, at least, try to obey Him. You’re saved only through the sacrificial death of Christ on the Cross, and you ‘rest’ in His finished work there! Religious or “In Christ”? Good deeds or “In Christ”? Church attendance or “In Christ”? Super efforts or “In Christ”? “Others speak well of me” or “The Spirit Himself bears witness with My Spirit”?

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A NEW DYNAMIC OF TRUE LIFE:

In Hebrews 10:10, “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of Jesus Christ, once for all…” What will? The will of God from before the foundation of the world – Christ Jesus as the Lamb slain in the mind and heart of God BEFORE the world was even established!

Hebrews 10:14-17 tells us: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their Minds I will write them,’ then He adds, ‘Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’”

“Sanctified”? That means ‘set apart’ by God for His glory, honor, and praise! “A New Dynamic”? Glorying in the Cross to the glory of God alone! “Living”? To honor Him alone and fulfill His eternal purposes!

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE THE CROSS WAS GOD’S WAY TO TRIUMPH OVER OUR ENEMY, SATAN:

In Colossians 2:13-15 we read: “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, having triumphed over them.”

John illumined our victory over the powers of darkness in I John 3:8 when he wrote: “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of Satan.” The works of Satan? To dismantle you! To so tempt you that you fall away! To capture you, yes, for Hell itself!

Look at Hebrews 2:14-15 and glory in the Lord Jesus’ rendering Satan powerless: “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil:…and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

When the psalmist said in Psalms:136:24 that “[God] rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever,” don’t you think the devil and his demons are your enemy? And Jesus handled your dilemma with the devil! And you have reason to glory in Him!!

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE THROUGH THE CROSS THE GREAT POWER OF GOD IS RELEASED:

Just listen and receive I Corinthians 1:17-18, 23, which says: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should be made void…For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED!!”

Why was Paul sent? “TO PREACH THE GOSPEL” which we just learned that the word of the cross not only “saves us, reconciles us, redeems us,” it is also the great power of God released through us in an overcoming life, in spiritual warfare, and the release of His great power through us to honor Christ by ministering in His Name, by His available anointing and empowering!

You may face disillusioning battles but the power of the Cross promises you victory. You may face a world of trouble, but His Cross is the power of God to overcome. You may face closed doors, but the great power of God opens those doors or better doors.

WE GLORY IN THE CROSS OF JESUS BECAUSE THROUGH THE CROSS THE WORLD’S PULL HAS LOST ITS POWER:

Galatians 6:14 says it so encouragingly: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the CROSS of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The world pull, yes, has lost its power through the Lord Jesus. Settle it: ALL THAT MATTERS IS JESUS!

There’s an old hymn that says: “This world is not my home, I’m just a’passing through, My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.” That’s Heaven – my eternal home around God’s throne!

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE OR THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE?”

I wonder if you’ve ever said it or experienced it, “I am going to get this done right this time,” but again you fall flat on your face. You have great confidence in yourself and you try but you’re soon crushed. You’re blessed with lofty ambitions but you live with LIMP ACCOMPLISHMENTS. You dream and drool with the drippings of SELF-DETERMINATION but end up with the nightmare of constant failure.

You know the STANDARD of moral accountability and responsibility but find yourself flawed with the reality of SIN in the heart. You aim toward “the mark” and you miss it. You RACE toward the finish line of personal faithfulness and you stumble and fall.

You reach up for the shining star of light and “GLOW-FUL-NESS” but radiate only the darkness and despair and dismay of wanting to do right but wallowing in the wrong.

And the powerful truth of the revelation of the Word of God is that a self-sufficient, self-motivated man never finds the witness of a royal release while the weakness of self-willed resolve is hidden from our eyes.

The great depth of our own weakness is a mystery to a man who is disciplined and determined to make it on his own without any outside help including God. Do you understand? STRONG CONSTITUTIONS can be our undoing. Brave soldiers are beyond numbering in basic training, but when the real battle commences few heroes are to be found with medals of HONOR.

I’m not sure if you’ll be familiar with the story called “STYX” in which THETIS dipped ACHILLES everywhere but the heel by which she held him. He was so strong and so invulnerable wherever the water had touched him, but remember, the heel hadn’t been covered by the water, and all of a sudden PARIS shot the arrow into the heel, and ACHILLES DIED.

Most men think of themselves as completely INVULNERABLE but fail to remember there is a HELPLESS HEEL. The one thing I want you to know is that without the Spirit of Christ controlling our lives we are all “SHORN SAMSONS”! Dr. Watts had a verse in one of his hymns that said: “SAMSON, when his hair was lost, Met the Philistines to his cost; Shook his vain limbs with vast surprise, made feeble fight, and lost his eyes.”

YOUR strength is your greatest weakness! YOUR proud consciousness is a strong indication of personal corruptness! YOUR ship of flawed character has had a major leak since its inception and is about to sink! YOUR own flight to the gates of heaven on the wings of self-estimation of acceptable virtues has an unacceptable visa and passport.

Why did Jesus die if we could earn our own way to heaven? Why was His blood shed if your best could merit the favor of God? TRUTH IS NEEDED!!

Listen to Spurgeon [Vol.19,p373, Memorial Library, Spurgeon’s Sermons]: “Sinner, if you grow no sweeter flowers than the dunghill of your own nature can nourish, you will die amid poisonous weeds. If you never drink of better water than the filthy well of your own heart will yield, you will perish of thirst, or of a deadly drought.”

The weakness of personal resolve is a field of broken promises. The weakness of personal resolve is a playing field of despised vows. The weakness of personal resolve is a dirty pig-lot of vain imaginations.

I’m not asking you to get a better “grip” on yourself; I’m asking YOU to let go of yourself. I’m not asking you to make a better resolution of self-determination; I’m asking you to be finished with yourself. I’m not asking you to start another chapter entitled “Better Effort;” I’m asking you to give yourself the “Blessed Encounter” with Jesus.

I’m not asking you to make a new avowal of attachment to the rod of self-improvement; I’m asking you to surrender to the rod of Spirit-anointing!

Do you know what Romans 7:18-25 says? In Romans 7 there has been a big struggle in Paul’s life because as yet he hadn’t learned Romans 8! We’re talking about a believer, a follower, a new servant of Christ with a major war going on. How do we know? Look at Romans 7:22!! “For I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD (or Word of God) ACCORDING TO THE INWARD MAN.” No unbeliever DELIGHTS in God’s Word. No unbeliever even has an inward man! But Paul did and you in Christ do!

Paul wisely shares his struggles. He wisely shares the maturing process. He wisely shares the absolute spiritual necessity of accepting one’s impotence to fulfill the purposes of God on his own. Do you remember Peter’s vow of determined resolution? Matthew 26:35, “Even if I have to die with You, Jesus, I WILL NOT DENY YOU!” “And so said all the disciples.” And the truth is, the disciples fled and Peter denied!

William Barclay said, [his Romans study, p.103], “The human will unstrengthened by Christ is bound to crack.” And it’s not that we’ve cracked – we’ve been shattered into pieces because we majored in our weaknesses rather than be mastered by the witness of the Holy Spirit!

Dr. Griffith Thomas, in his devotional commentary on Romans, [pps. 192-193], wrote: “The key to the meaning of the entire section is found in the repetition of “I” 30 times in the chapter, without a single mention of the Holy Spirit. It indicates what “I” am struggling to do, and utterly fail to do in my own strength.”

THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE OR THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE?

It’s said of Muhammed Ali while flying to one of his events that his flight got into some turbulence. The seat-belt sign came on and as usual the stewardess checked it out and all had complied but Ali. She asked him to fasten his seat-belt, but the “Lip” responded, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” And the stewardess replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane either.”

THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE: LISTEN TO GOD”S HOLY WORD!!

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE RECOGNITION OF FLESH’S IMPOTENCE: In Mark 14:37-38, as Jesus was going to Gethsemane to pray, he came back to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to them, “Could you not watch one hour?…Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.” And whether or not YOU recognize the ‘flesh’s’ impotence, God Does! HE KNOWS about our weaknesses!

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE DETERMINATION AND JUDGMENT UPON THE ‘FLESH’: Listen to I Corinthians 15:50, [And by the way, ‘flesh’ is your old sin nature!], “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood CANNOT INHERIT the kingdom of God.” We must learn quickly, early, life’s crossroads – Flesh or Spirit? Old man or new man? Sinner or saint? Sin nature or partaker of the divine nature? Earthly living only or Heavenly minded?

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE DECLARATION OF HOPE ONLY IN CHRIST JESUS: John 1:12-13 tells us: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who will believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, NOR of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE INSIGHT THAT PROMOTION OF THE FLESH LEADS TO A GREATER PERVERSION OF THE SAME: Look at Romans 6:19, “I speak in human terms because of the WEAKNESS OF YOUR FLESH. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, AND OF LAWLESSNESS LEADING TO MORE LAWLESSNESS…” Do you understand that? When ‘religious flesh’ gets involved it builds a bigger BARRIER between Holy God and sinful man! When ‘willful flesh’ is released for either good or bad, it leads to a greater divide between presumption and personal salvation!

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE EXPLANATION THAT THE “HOW TO” NEVER COMES TO FRUITION WHEN I’M “INTO” WHAT GOD IS “ONTO” IN HOLY JUDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION: What did Paul say in Galatians 2:20? “I am crucified with Christ…” My evil and my good were both nailed to the Cross! But, for Paul, in Romans 7:18-19, he’s been struggling because his ‘religious self’ rather than his ‘redeemed, regenerated self’ has been in control. Listen to Romans 7:18-19, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) NOTHING GOOD DWELLS; for to WILL is present with me, but HOW TO perform what is good I do not find…For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, THAT I PRACTICE.”

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF RESOLVE BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE REVELATION THAT SELF-PROMOTION NEVER PLEASES GOD: Romans 8:5 is so very clear: “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh..” And the result? Romans 8:7-8 says, “the fleshly, (carnal) mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be…So, then, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE FLESH CANNOT PLEASE GOD.” Don’t forget what ‘flesh’ is biblically: your old sin nature!

THERE’S THE WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH BECAUSE OF THE DIVINE UNVEILING OF FLESH’S ULTIMATE END: Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally (or fleshly) minded IS death…!!” Romans 8:13 says, “For if you live according to the flesh YOU WILL DIE…” Alexander Maclaren put it like this so plainly and powerfully: “That which of all things unfits man for the reception of Christ as Savior, is not gross profligacy and outward, vehement transgression, but it is self-complacency, fatal self-righteousness and self-sufficiency.”

Jean Nicolas Grau, in the “Alliance Weekly,” wrote: “Do not shelter the mirror which reflects your soul’s lack of beauty; rather welcome the truth, and believe that next to the knowledge of God nothing is so precious as the knowledge of self.”

Listen to James Milner!! “While a man rests on his own merits for acceptance with God, it is of little consequence whether he be a pagan idolater, or a proud, ignorant Pharisee. – I do not know which of the two is most distant from the kingdom of God.”

Now, let’s shift gears, and get in full throttle!! LET’S LOOK AT “THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE”:

Come to Romans 8:1-2!! “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, but (WALK) according to the Spirit…For the law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Notice, in fact, in verse 4, that EVEN “the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled IN US who do not walk according to the flesh BUT WALK ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT…” In John 16:7, prior to His departure, Jesus said to the disciples, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage (necessary) that I go away; for if I do not go away, the HELPER will not come to you: but if I depart, I WILL SEND HIM TO YOU.”

THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE BECOMES REALITY BECAUSE OF OUR “BIRTHING” IN THE SPIRIT: In John 3 Jesus said to Nicodemus in verse 3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born AGAIN, he cannot SEE the kingdom of God.” Verse 5 then says, Jesus speaking, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless on is born of the water (of the Word) AND the Spirit, he cannot ENTER the kingdom of God.” And then in verse 6 Jesus explains: “That which is born of the flesh is FLESH, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

In the natural we’re all born physically alive but spiritually dead to God. Romans 3:10-18 says, “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one…There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God…They have all gone out of the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one…Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit…the poison of asps is under their lips…Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness…Their feet are swift to shed blood…Destruction and misery are in their ways…And the way of peace they have not known…There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

OH, BUT WE’VE COME TO CHRIST JESUS! How? John 6:44 says, Jesus speaking, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;” WHAT A REVELATION!! And LISTEN! Because of true “repentance toward God” AND “faith in the finished work of Christ” alone at Calvary, we’ve come out of DEATH into LIFE by the same Spirit who raised Christ from death in Joseph’s borrowed tomb. Romans 8:11 says, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, HE WHO RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN YOU.”

In fact Romans 8:9 clearly says, “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. NOW IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NOT HIS.” BIRTHED AND INDWELT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT! GLORY!

THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE BECOMES REALITY BECAUSE OF THAT ADDED BLESSING OF OUR “BAPTISM” IN THE SPIRIT: Right before His ascension, after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples. Look at John 20:19-22, “Peace be with you…” [What is that? It’s a fruit of the Spirit!]. He said again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Listen to verse 22, And when Jesus had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’!” IMPARTATION!!

Then come with me to Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4, And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to part from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which He said, “you have heard from Me.; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Then in Acts 2:1-4 we read: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. What do you see in these two different passages?

Well, there is an Indwelling – but also an Overflowing. There is a residence – but also a release. There is an enveloping – but also an enduement of power from on high. There is the presence – but also a powerful anointing. The Holy Spirit is the Mighty Breath of God imparting Divine Life, but He’s also the Mighty Wind releasing God’s directional force, and also the mighty river sweeping us up in a delightful flow of heavenly blessings!

Don’t ever forget Acts 19:1-6!! And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

You’ll remember that John the Baptist went out into the wilderness of Judea preaching and multitudes came to him. In Matthew 3:11 he said, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall Baptize YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND WITH FIRE.” Is there the spiritual fire of God in your bones?

HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM IS FOUR ILLUMINATING REALITIES: 1) IT’S A CERTAIN EXPERIENCE! They tarried, they anticipated, they obeyed, and a transformation occurred. Listen to Arthur Wallis! (“In The Day Of Thy Power,” pps.69-70), “These who but a few days before had slunk into the upper room and bolted the door for fear of the men who had murdered their Master, are now standing in the open and alleging that this Jesus is alive, and accusing their hearers of murder. Peter, who a month and a half before had denied his Lord at the jibe of a servant-girl, now stands before the multitudes in the very city where He was crucified, and asserts that God had made this Jesus ‘both Lord and Christ.’ Certainly something very definite has happened to these believers…IT IS THE BIRTHRIGHT OF EVERY CHILD OF GOD TO RECEIVE THAT ANOINTING, AND TO KNOW THAT HE OR SHE HAS RECEIVED IT.”

2) IT’S A CLARIFYING EXPERIENCE! It’s so evident: “He’s not ‘fleshly,’ he “walks in the Spirit.” It’s not the ordinary for her, “she walks in the supernatural.” There’s nothing ordinary about them, “they walk in the dimension of the extraordinary!”

In Acts 2:5-18 read carefully these dynamic events in the early church! And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days,” says God, “That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams, and on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.” It happened just as God said: He clarified it for them!

3) IT’S A COMPULSIVE EXPERIENCE! “Compulsive”? It means “The application of a force that is irresistible.” Luke 24:49 says, “Clothed with power from on high.” Acts 10:38 speaks of “anointed…with the Holy Spirit and with power.

To the church at Corinth, I Corinthians 2:4-5, Paul said, “And my speech and my p[reaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but IN DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF POWER…THAT YOUR FAITH SHOULD NOT BE IN THE WISDOM OF MEN BUT IN THE POWER OF GOD.”

E. Paul Hovey wrote: “The word ‘Comforter’ as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally, it means ‘with strength.’ Jesus promised His followers that “The Strengthener” would be with them forever. This promise is no lullaby for the faint-hearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living.” AMEN!!

4) IT’S A COVETED EXPERIENCE! In Matthew 5:6 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, FOR THEY SHALL BE FILLED.” Are you ‘hungry’ for Spirit-anointing?

In Isaiah 44:1-3 we read, “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you; ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” Do you understand how ready God is to pour out His power and anointing on a thirsty, hungry soul?

THE WITNESS OF A ROYAL RELEASE BECOMES REALITY AS WE BEGIN TO RECOGNIZE OURSELVES THE BLESSINGS OF SPIRIT-ANOINTED LIVING: Consider the Blessing of Confidence and Assurance: Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

Let it well up within you: “I KNOW, I REALLY KNOW, I’M A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S OWN SPECIAL PERSON, I’M NOW A PART OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD! HOW DO I KNOW? Because the Spirit of God has written it on my heart!”

Consider the Blessing of Unshakable Awareness: I John 3:24 says, “…And hereby we know that Jesus abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us.”

Consider the Blessing of Unveiled Encouragement: John 14:26, “But, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” In fact, in Luke 12:12, Jesus assures us, “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say.”

Consider the Blessing of An Opened or Closed Door: Acts 13:2 says, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” OPEN DOOR! But in Acts 16:6 we read, “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.” CLOSED DOOR!

Jonathan Edwards, one of God’s appointed-anointed leaders of the Great Awakening wrote: “God has had it much on His heart, from all eternity, to glorify His dear and only begotten Son; and there are some special seasons that He appoints to that end, wherein he comes forth with Omnipotent Power to fulfill His promise and oath to Him; and these times are times of remarkable pouring out of His Spirit, to advance His kingdom; such a day is a day of His power.”

And here you and I are. What about us? Will it be, “The Weakness of Resolve or the Witness of a Royal Release?” Will it be, our testimony, our epistle, read of all men, as that of the Flesh or that of God’s Spirit through us? Will it be self-determination or Spirit Dependence?

Will it be active, animal like acceleration or mighty anointing of His Spirit? Will it be a shallow stream of self-effort or an ocean of omnipotent occupation? Will it be fleshly energized excitement or a Spirit- quickening of the saints in the fires and rivers and baptisms of the Holy Spirit?

Will it be man at his best that falls so short or God unveiling Himself in irresistible power and anointing? Will it be man taking the field to play his understanding of the religious game or God’s Spirit at bat in the excellence of His extraordinary enduements on the evangels of the faith?

Will it be us in our masterful, fleshly manipulations or the manifestation of God’s Falling Fire kindled in Heaven and in His heart?

God gives us a promise in Ezekial 34:26. It says, “I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their seasons; there shall be showers of blessing.”

And I believe our nation and our churches have not been in seasons and showers of blessing, but in spiritual drought and dryness because we’ve tried hard and at the same time resisted the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! And God is saying, “There’s going to be a change. Get ready. The Fire is going to fall!!”

Listen to Spurgeon’s powerful prayer and let’s make it our own: “O God, send us the Holy Ghost! Give us both the breath of spiritual life and the fire of unconquerable zeal. O You are our God, answer us by fire, we pray! Answer us both by WIND and FIRE, and then we shall see You to be God indeed. The kingdom comes not, and the work is flagging. Oh, that You would send the wind and the fire! You WILL do this when we are all of one accord, all blessing, all expecting, all prepared by prayer…

Lord, bring us to this waiting state! God, send us a season of glorious disorder. Oh, for a sweep of the wind that will set the seas in motion, and make our ironclad brethren, now lying so quietly at anchor, to roll from stem to stern!…

Oh, for the fire to fall again – fire which shall affect the most stolid! Oh, that such fire might first sit upon the disciples, and then fall all around! O God, You are ready to work with us today even as You did then. Stay not, we beseech You, but work at once…

Break down every barrier that hinders the incoming of Your might! Give us now both hearts of flame and tongues of fire to preach Your reconciling word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“ON WHAT DO YOU MAJOR?”

In Philippians 1:21 Paul shared his heart: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Think about that with me: “For to me…” My choice, my selection, my determination…! But remember, it’s God Himself who reaches out to us! In fact, in Proverbs 1:24-25, we read: “Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out My hands and no one regarded, because you disdained all My counsel, and would have none of My rebuke…Verse 26, I’ll laugh at your calamity..” God said a similar word in Jeremiah 7:13, “And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer.”

And then, “For to me to live…”. For most it is a life-long search for ‘life’ but always in the wrong places with the wrong persons and for the wrong reasons. But Jesus said in John 10:9-10, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief [Satan the liar], does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

“For to me to live IS CHRIST”… Jesus IS the eternal reality of Heaven’s pre-ordained plan and blessing for fallen men. And without Christ we are separated from God, lost, on the wrong foundation, majoring on the minors that sound out the ultimate chord of sadness, separation, and senselessness instead of the desires of God for us. Augustine said it: “Restless are our souls, O Lord, until we rest in You.”

Do I major on my faults and failures or on Christ’s strengths and His redemptive conquests? Do I major on un-acceptance before others or that I am “accepted in the Beloved”? Do I major on the inevitable defeats or on His eternal victories that always cause me to triumph, declaring me a “winner” in my journey?

Do I major on my fear that no one really loves me or that God proved His love for me in that while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me? Do I major on a search for personal identity or do I major on the fact of a true, fulfilling identity of who I am “in Christ”? Do I major on my sinfulness and the filthy rags of attempts at self-justification or on my declared redemptive righteousness “in Christ”?

Do I major on my weaknesses in a debilitating fashion or magnify my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me? Do I major on the oldness in the old sin nature or on the fact that I am a new creation in Christ and declared by God to be a ‘saint’ or one set apart to the glory of God?

Do I major on cultural or familial curses that want to dominate me or on the kingdom of Christ and the faith-filled blessings of His kingdom that liberates me?

Do I major with the psalmist on the sad fact that no man really cares for my soul or on the glad fact that God has loved me with an everlasting love and drawn me with His lovingkindness? Do I major on the futility of the fleshliness of First Adam or on the finality of Spirit-Life in the Second Adam?

Do I major on what I was before Christ or on who I am in Christ? Do I major on the reigning death of my old sin nature or the reign of righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior?

Do I major on the reality of earthly opposition, that so many are against me, OR on the blessed truth that Almighty God is for me? Do I major on my own personal ineptness in things of the Spirit-realm or that I am more than conqueror through Him who loved me?

Do I major on my feebleness in human effort of being a witness to my world around me or on the fullness in divine oneness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do I major on my fears of war with the powers of darkness or that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under my feet?

Do I major on my inability and shortcoming of impacting my world effectively or on Him who is able to establish me redemptively in my world? Do I major on my personal poverty in the Spirit-realm or that I am already enriched in everything spiritually by my Lord and Savior?

Do I major on my earthly learning that never brings me to the knowledge of the truth or on the benefit of the new blood covenant in Christ where I receive His wisdom and His mind? Do I major on my continual war with temptation or on the truth that my God made a way of escape from it?

Do I major on my restlessness in life or that there is rest in Christ now and a rest that remains for the people of God? Do I major on that in my life that is unsure and fading or upon the anchor of my soul that is both sure and steadfast and which enters into the Presence of God behind the veil?

Do I major on my tendency to wander and draw back or upon the faith and trust and reliance upon Him that causes me to press in to the saving of my soul? Do I major on my sorrowful chastenings or do I look beyond to the yielding of the peaceable fruit of righteousness by which God trains me?

Do I major on all that can be shaken in my life or do I rest and receive in its fullness the kingdom of Christ which cannot be shaken? Do I major on the passion for the praise and honor of men or am I consumed with the passion for the praise of God alone?

Do I major on the works of the law by which no one is ever justified or on the deeds of the law written on the tablets of my heart by the finger of God through the blood of Christ? Do I major on the fallen life of my former self without Christ or on the redeemed life in Christ who loved me and gave Himself for me?

Do I major on setting aside the grace of God in me and focusing on “grit” or do I stand in the grace of God and focus on His glory as His gift to me? Do I major on being made perfect by the flesh or do I major on having been perfected by the Spirit?

Do I major on the weak and beggarly elements of life that leads again to bondage or on the joy of the Lord that is my strength and the blessed revelations that lead me to true freedom and liberty? Do I major on the entanglements of the world, the flesh, and the devil that leads again to bondage or do I stand fast in the liberty by which Christ Jesus made me free?

Do I major on the less of my former, unredeemed life or on the “much more” of reconciliation, being continually saved by Christ’s Life?

Do I major on what I was without Christ, without strength and ungodly, or on the revelation, Ramah Truth, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and by His grace be being continually transformed to the kingdom of the godly?

Do I major on personal condemnation incited by the accuser of the brethren or on a powerful confidence inspired by the affirmer and advocate of the elect? Do I major on the power of sin in the old man or on the truth of power over sin because I know I died with Christ at the Cross, my old body of sin, and that now sin is no longer my master but Jesus is?

Do I major on the law of sin and death or on the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus who has made me free from the law of sin and death? Do I major on the emphasis of a carnal mind that is enmity against God or on the Leadership of the Spirit that is life and peace?

Do I major on the program of “of me,” “through me,” “for me,” or upon the ministry of “of Him,” “through Him,” and “to Him” to whom be glory forever? Do I major on making constant provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust or do I put on the Lord Jesus Christ?

Do I major on the kingdom of food and drink or on the Kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost? Do I major on the emptying of my life of faith of all confidence or assurance or on the God of hope who fills me with all joy and peace in believing that I may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit?

Do I major on my sadnesses and sorrows or on the provision of Holy God that I can live before others with joy by the will of God and may be refreshed and renewed with them as I walk by faith? Do I major on my earthly, fleshly house that is daily dying or on the eternal Temple of God which is my body where the Holy Spirit of God dwells?

Do I major on the kingdom that is word only of men or on the Kingdom that is of God filled with Holy Ghost supernatural power from on high? Do I major on the mindful discouraging picture of what I was or on the truth that I’ve been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God?

Do I major on the constant attempts of the thievery of your time or on the redemption of your time and the revelation of truth that you may serve the Lord without distraction? The Christ-Life in you is not a small compartment but the total summation of ALL HE IS and ALL HE DOES through your available life!

Do I major on the sounding brass and clanging cymbals or on the greatness of that which abides: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE? Do I major on the fact that I have many adversaries as a disciple of Christ or on the fact that through it all God has opened a great and effective door for me?

Do I major on that which was buried with Christ and it stinks or on the fact that through the new birth you and I are of God now and by His grace we have become the fragrance of Christ? Do I major on the letter that kills or on the Spirit who gives life? Do I major on the ministry of condemnation from the devil or on the ministry of righteousness that comes from God abounding in His glory?

Do I major on the veiled face of an unrepentant heart or on your unveiled face by the grace of God that continually transforms you into the same image from glory to glory? Do I major on despair because heaven’s treasures are in an earthern vessel not discerning it’s God’s design so the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us?

Do I major on the fact that I’ve lost heart because my outward man is perishing or on the glorious fact that the inward man is renewed day by day? Do I major on selfish living for the satisfaction of SELF or on living no longer for myself but for Him who died for me and rose again?

Are you yielded to the domination of the old man or on the discipline of the new creation miracle of God? Do you major on the restriction of your own affections or on the marvelous truth that the love of God has been poured out in your heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to you?

Do you major on the reality of trouble on every side, that without are conflicts and within are fears, or on the reality that nevertheless God comforts the downcast? Do you major on the poverty of your personal soul life or on the grace of the Lord Jesus who for your sake became poor, that you through His poverty might be made rich?

Do you major on the emptiness and void of your former life without Christ or that in Christ by the grace of God you always have all sufficiency in all things to every good work? Do you major on measuring yourself by yourself and comparing yourself among others or on the Holy Blessed Gospel that as He is, so am I in this world?

Do you major on the thorns that pierce your life or on the grace that is sufficient to see you through? Do you major on what was crucified with Christ, dead and buried, or on that resurrection life, hope, and power of God?

Do you major on the futility of your former self with all its deeds of fleshliness or on the fruit of the Spirit? Do you major on your doubts and uncertainties or on the fact that, having believed and trusted, you’ve been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise?

Do you major on those accusations of the powers of darkness of your former emptiness or on the truth of Jesus, the fullness of Him who fills all in all? Do you major on the fall-out of having been a child of wrath or on the fill-up of the truth that I’m a son or daughter of God now by grace and faith?

Do you major on your perplexities, conflicts, and anxieties, or on Him who is your Peace? Do you major on the heartache of living in a loveless world or on the joy of knowing the love of Christ which surp[asses knowledge?

Do you major on your own personal ineptness in your spiritual journey or on God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think? Do you major on your sadness for no greater progress in your spiritual maturity or on the confidence that He who began the good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ?

Do you major on the failures of the past or on forgetting the things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are before you, pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? Do you major on the temporariness of your earthly home or on the blessed truth that your citizenship is in heaven?

Do you major on all the sad events of your life and maybe even multiple sorrows or do you REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS? Do you major on being anxious about everything or in everything do you pray to God and find the peace that passes all understanding?

Do you major on the kingdom and the power of darkness around you or on the holy truth that God has translated you out of that kingdom into the Kingdom of the Son of His love? Do you major on the emphasis of your reaching earthly stardom for earthly glory and recognition or on the emancipation of your soul and spirit as you discover Christ only ‘in you’ is the hope of God’s glory?

Do you major on the shadows of former things from the past, even in the historic events of scripture yesterday or on the substance Who is Christ? Do you major on the involvement of earthly attractions or on setting your mind on the things above?

Do you major on your inability to speak the Gospel like Moses and Jeremiah both did or on the revelation that you’ve been approved by God, entrusted with the Gospel to speak faithfully its claims not as pleasing men but God?

Do you major on the establishment of your place in the world or that God desires to establish our hearts blameless in holiness before our God? Do you major on your short-comings or on the gracious fact that God counted you worthy of the Kingdom of God?

Do you major on your unworthiness of Heavenly Kingdom Life or that God from the beginning CHOSE YOU FOR SALVATION through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth? Do you major on the reality of having made shipwreck of your faith at some point or on the rescue of God like the restoration of Peter?

Do you major on the mystery of iniquity or on the mystery of godliness? Do you major on the earthly opposition to the Gospel that sometimes makes you feel ashamed of the testimony of our Lord ( the Gospel is an offense, it brings reproach!), or do you major on the glorious truth that He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us before time began?

Do you major on what you don’t know about the things of God or on what you do know – whom you believed and how you once were persuaded that He is able to keep what you’ve committed against that day?

Do you major on the discouragement of having been a vessel of dishonor or on the promise that he who cleanses himself WILL BE a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the master and prepared for every good work?

Do you major on the forsaking of friends and family because of your faith or on the glorious truth that the Lord stands with you and strengthens you, delivering you from every evil work and preserving you for His heavenly kingdom?

Do you major on earthly blessings alone in this present age or are you majoring on looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ? Do you major on the hopelessness of your flesh or on the hopefulness in Christ that is an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which does enter the veil of God’s Holy Presence?

Do you major on the prayerlessness of men in your behalf or on Christ who ever lives to make intercession for YOU? Do you major on religiosity and ‘churchy-anity’ or on pure and undefiled religion before God the Father?

Do you major on the aftermath of your old sin nature, on the burial clothes from your death in trespasses and sins or on the truth that you’ve been made a partaker of the divine nature? Do you major on the disappointment of lost battles in the spiritual war or on the truth that you are of God, you HAVE overcome, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world?

Do you major on the fact that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one or that you are of God and have overcome him through the blood of the Lamb, through the word of your own testimony, and that you truly don’t love your life, even unto death?’ Do you major on your ‘trip-ups’ or on Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy?

I don’t really know what all this is about…why the Lord poured these questions into me. But I was reading Revelation 3 as the Lord spoke to the pastor or messenger at Sardis, and in Verse 2, Jesus said: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.”

And I know in one sense He is saying, “You’ve not been mature in your understanding of who YOU are IN CHRIST.” Proverbs 23:7 says: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Out of the passion of his soul for the church at Rome, Paul wrote: Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world but be [being] transformed – BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND – that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

With the renewing of your mind fresh this very moment, consider Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever thing are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – think on these things.”

And we know from I Peter 2:10- that though once we were not a people, “but..now [we are] the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy!!”

Have YOU obtained mercy? Are YOU the person of God, His son, His daughter? Are you His own special people? Are you a holy nation? Are you a royal priesthood? Are you the chosen race?

Listen carefully: I’m not asking you to take the name of the Lord your God in vain – I’m asking you to take His name in Victory!! Confess? That means agree – same the same thing as:

“I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!” “I AM BLESSED WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS!” “I AM MADE ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST!” “I AM SEATED WITH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES!” “I AM BORN AGAIN!” “AS JESUS CHRIST IS IN THE WORLD, SO AM I.” “I AM BORN AGAIN BY THE WORD OF GOD.” “I AM KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD.” “I WAS REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!” I AM COMPLETE IN CHRIST LACKING NOTHING.” “MY SINS WERE NAILED TO HISW CROSS – THE BLOOD COVERS THEM.” “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!”

And on and on and on, God celebrates who we are “in Christ!!” Why don’t you celebrate right now, and continue to identify who YOU ARE IN CHRIST!

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

“SAD DEFECTIONS OR SURE ELECTIONS?”

Every pastor with a shepherd’s heart and every small part of the Body of Christ knows that the greatest calamity that occurs to a fellowship of believers is not outward assaults from the Church’s or disciples’ enemies, but inward assaults from wounds in the house of our friends, from the wiliness of warped false teachers, from even the wars of the apostates and traitors to the truth.

Every true shepherd’s heart and even every small part of the Body of Christ has grieved and been broken-hearted over supposed sanctified selfishness when people save themselves for themselves and have nothing to pour out for the greater body of Christ.

Every true shepherd’s heart and even every small part of the Body of Christ has experienced a Judas with his sop and his subtle, severing kisses and maybe hollow hand-shakes. Every true shepherd’s heart and even every small part of the Body of Christ knows the sickness of slander, the sickness of a ‘good-by, been good to know you salute, the disease of loose tongues, and the death of divisiveness of lies about God’s people – and they have no shame. But we can overcome all that.

The greatest heart-ache, the heaviest, sickening feeling and emotion that God’s people experience is when there is out and out DEFECTION. They are here, they are with us – but then, even though we didn’t see it or sense it, they’re going back to Egypt!

Numbers 11:5 says, “We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic.” AND THEY TURN BACK! Numbers 11 is not much different from John 6. There had been a great deliverance, a heavenly provision; it’s not manna out of heaven now but the “living bread” and the call of true discipleship to “eat My flesh and drink My blood!” Then listen to John 6:60, 66:

“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’…Verse 66, FROM THAT TIME MANY OF HIS DISCIPLES WENT BACK AND WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM!!”

Then Jesus turned to the 12 and said, Verse 67, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!”

The devil is a “genius” at finding ways to make run-a-ways from the faith to really feel at home in the strange land and making “feeding swine” feel as if it’s a royal service.

Every “Samson” has his “Delilah” who is out to say “The Philistines are UPON YOU, Samson.” They long to see you grinding at the mill, spiritually blinded to your hope and help, chained to them and not to Christ!

Every DISCIPLE has not only a demon but Legions that stand at his door demanding, demeaning, deceiving, desiring to steal, kill, and destroy – but you don’t have to open that door!

On the High Mount of Transfiguration we stand in the Glory-cloud of God’s Presence and right below us the devil rages in a young son in an epileptic fit. If Satan will ask of Christ Jesus to bow down and worship him, will he bid to us, call to us, come to us in frequent solicitation to cross the line and stand on his side? You can bet your last dollar on that – unless you already are His lo0ck, stock, and barrel!

WHAT IS IT THAT SO DRAWS TO THE DARK CLOUDS OF SAD DEFECTIONS?

THERE IS THE SAD DEFECTION OF ANSWERING THE CALL OF THE WORLD AROUND US:

Song of Solomon 6:13 says: “Return, return, O Shulamite: Return, return, that we may look upon you!” I want you to notice several things about the timing of the call to defection! For one, it’s in the high moment of spiritual ecstasy – she’s just heard from Jesus! Verse 4 says, “O my love, you are as beautiful as TIRZAH, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners!”

It’s in the holy moment of confidence and assurance! Verse 3 says, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine. He feeds me among the lilies.”

It’s in the hand moment of busyness about the Father’s business. Verse 11 says, “I went down to the garden of nuts to see the verdure of the valley, to see whether the vine had budded and the pomegranates had bloomed.” AND HERE COMES THE WORLD!! “Return, return, O Shulamite: Return, return that we may look upon you!”

That’s the call that appeals to pride: “that we may look upon you!” It’s the call of past haunts, pleasurable indulgences, the call of paralyzing persons of emptiness and shallowness, appealing to one’s flesh! The voices of the sirens are the calls to the old slavery of the sisterhood of selfishness and the manhood of ego-madness, manipulation, and misery – all coated with the poisonous sugar or poisoned essence of peppermint – looks sweet, then kills!

It seems so innocent, so beneficial, so pleasurable! And then, ensnared, it becomes so deathly! 2 Timothy 4:10 says, “…Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.”

Spurgeon, in his “Spurgeon’s Sermons, [Memorial Library, Vol.15, p.18], wrote: “When the world loves the holy man it is the love of the vulture for the sick lamb.”

It’s why J.B. Phillips said: “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold!”

THERE ALSO IS THE SAD DEFECTION OF NEGLECTING THE HOLY SPIRIT:

In Matthew 25:1-13 listen carefully: “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were wise took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

You should know and receive faithfully Galatians 5:16, “I say then, ‘Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” But what if you do? What if you’re deceived, distracted, detoured away from following the Holy Spirit’s lead? Look at Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

And I’m convinced this is why Paul was so clear to the church at Thessalonica! In I Thessalonians 5:19, he said: “DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT!” To the Ephesians he wrote in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

The prophetic word of Isaiah 63:8-10 reveals so much about God’s people and their relationship with the Holy Spirit AND God’s concern for His own people’s reaction to the Holy Spirit. He said: ‘Surely they are My people, children who will not lie.’ So He became their Savior…In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old…But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.”

To neglect the Holy Spirit is: 1) Shutting the door to conviction – John 16:8 says, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin…” 2) Shutting the door to remembrance – John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” 3) Shutting the door to guidance into Truth – John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” 4) Shutting the door to testimony and the glorifying of Christ – John 15:26 says, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” 5) Shutting the door to the Spirit is deciding to live by the letter only that kills – 2 Corinthians 3:6 “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

Hebrews 10:29 makes mention, yes, of the danger of “insulting the Spirit of grace…!” Yield to the Spirit, don’t ‘yelp’ like a deranged dog!

THERE IS THE SAD DEFECTION BECAUSE OF AN ATTITUDE OF COMPLACENCY AND INDIFFERENCE:

Look with me at Luke 12:35-41! “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them to sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do you speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

It might be best for us all to consider carefully whether or not we’ve been truly devoted to the honor of Christ alone or have we drifted into complacency or indifference Why? In Luke 12 look at verses 42-46! And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”

“Cut in pieces”? “Sweet Jesus” doing that? In Jeremiah 34:18 & 20 the Lord speaks: “And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it – Verse 20, “I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth.”

Complacency and indifference is like partaking of poisoned “Kool-Aid”!

THERE IS THE SAD DEFECTION BECAUSE OF THE BIRTHING OF A GREATER LOVE FOR SENSUAL INDULGENCE THAN THE SACRED LOVE OF HOLY GOD:

In Proverbs 21:16 we read, “A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the congregation of the dead.” What congregation do you want to dwell in? The congregation of the dead or the congregation of the living? For you, is it the congregation of ‘fleshly’ pleasure or the congregation of the priceless pleasure of Holy Presence?

In I Thessalonians 4:3-8 we see opposite points of view as to a selection of a lifestyle that honors or shames Holy God: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

Didn’t Paul tell young Timothy, I Timothy 5:6, “…she who lives in pleasure is DEAD while she lives.” You need to be so aware and alerted that all around you in a godless society are those who take pleasure in unrighteousness!

Spurgeon, [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Vol.12, p.303], wrote: “Certain it is that the pleasures of sin for a season fascinate their minds till they sacrifice their souls at the shrine of sordid vanity…they have renounced the pleasures that never pall, the immortal hopes that never fail, and turned their backs upon that blessed Savior who gives and feeds the tastes for joys unspeakable, for joys of glory full…,” for transient joys, temporary pleasures, and tantalizing terrors that seemed so full of good and acceptable.

THERE IS THE SAD DEFECTION BECAUSE OF ONE’S MEDDLING IN MYTHS AND SPECULATIONS MAKING SHIPWRECK OF THEIR VESSEL OF FAITH:

In I Timothy 1:18-19, Paul wrote: “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophesies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck…” And I have no doubt that Paul was referring to what he’d already written in verses 3-7 of the same chapter: “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia – remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”

He gave Timothy a greater challenge in 2 Timothy 4:2-4, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Do you understand that for some myths and speculations become more palatable than the meat and surety of God’s historical, holy Word? Have YOU grasped the reality that to eat His flesh and to drink His blood is to take on Christ Jesus – His Spirit, His way of bringing about victory; that death, burial, and resurrection is the only path to true salvation?

And, as a result, the Gospel becomes offensive to some!! Remember the disciples saying to Jesus, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

Do you realize how many people say, “I just don’t understand what the Bible is saying,” when in reality the TRUTH of God’s Holy Word has clashed with their personal prejudices and their pride? Do you understand why many choose to walk no more with Him because His cause, His character, His claims and demands of discipleship kick against the goads and they won’t have it any longer? THIS FAR AND NO MORE, for them!

Can’t you see that private stronghold, those long-held habits, or maybe their favorite ‘pleasures’ finally bringing one to that place where they say, ‘No More!’ and in an unholy huff, they turn away?

THERE IS THE SAD DEFECTION BECAUSE THE GOD OF GRACE, MERCY, AND LOVE HAS TO TAKE A BACK-SEAT TO THE GOD OF GREED:

In I Timothy 6:6-11 Paul wrote, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Luke 12:13-15 tells us of a man who sought to get Jesus to help settle a dispute over an inheritance: Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Yet, how many do you know who would react to Jesus Himself saying to Him brazenly, “O YES IT IS!” And they walk away from the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

In his book, A Minister’s Obstacles, Ralph Turnbull has a chapter entitled “The Dry Rot of Covetousness”. [Fleming Revell Com., 1954, p.26 & p.32]. And many never know that the disease of the dry rot of covetousness is consuming not only their lives but their faith and ministries.

Turnbull quoted D.R. Davies in his “The Sin of Our Age” calling attention to this “dogma of increasing wants.” And once the seed of greed is implanted in the heart it ever grows in an increasing appetite for more and more.

Chuck Swindoll in “The Quest For Character,” [p.22], wrote: “Nobody ever withstood greed without a fight that was both relentless and fierce. The god FORTUNE dies a slow, painful death.”

But please REMEMBER – it’s not money but “the love of money” that is the root of all kinds of evil. Money or greed becomes an idol in the heart that men bow down to! Now…

Remember we began with the question, “Sad Defections Or Sure Elections?” Come with me to 2 Peter 1:2-11, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” NOTICE, “SURE ELECTIONS”!

• In the context of 2 Peter 1, we CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT SALVATION IS NOT ONLY DEPENDENCE BUT ALSO A “DOING OF THE WORD.” It’s actively “Standing On The Promises!”

The overcoming attitude of “sure election” is the attitude of “add-to-it is.” Salvation is not stationary but a progressive walk in the way, the will, and the Word of God.

Our walk in salvation is not only EARNING A LIVING but BUILDING A LIFE! It’s why in I Peter 2:2 Peter said, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow up into your salvation.”

2. We know our calling and election is SURE BECAUSE WE ARE “PRESSING IN TO CHRIST!!” I Peter 2:21 says, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”

It’s that spirit and passion of Paul in Philippians 3:7-14, “But what things were gain to me, these things I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

3. We know our calling and election is sure, being made sure, BECAUSE WE LOVE SIN LESS AND LESS AND LONG TO FULFILL ONLY THE WILL OF GOD MORE AND MORE:

I Peter 4:1-2 says, “Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same purpose or mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin…that he NO LONGER should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

In verse 17 Peter puts it in a little different way but so enlightening: “If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14 says, “…be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”

……….4. We know our calling and election is sure BECAUSE IN THE WAY OF HUMILITY WE’VE BEEN DRAWN NEAR TO GOD AND LONG TO STAY THERE:

I Peter 5:5-7 says, “Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for…’God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble…’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

………..5. We know our calling and election is sure BECAUSE WE REST ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD’S WORD: [I’m going to close this chapter, this last point on sure election, by asking you to read carefully and over and over for several weeks Psalm 119!! Will you?}

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“IS THERE DANGER IN WILDERNESS WANDERINGS BECOMING PERMANENT?”

The title of this last chapter sounds so foreign to the purpose of God in the leading of His people – and yet ‘so true’ for far too many disciples! The wilderness pilgrimage is ‘legitimate’ and according to the sovereign purposes of God in leading His people from the beginning of the journey to its completion; from the infancy of faith to its full maturity, from “little children” to “young men” and beyond to “fathers of the faith,” according to I John 2:12-13; from a land of spiritual bondage and slavery to the promised land of “the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

In Deuteronomy 6:1 the Word says, “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, THAT YOU MIGHT DO THEM IN THE LAND where you are going over to possess it.” And then in Verse 23, “and HE BROUGHT US OUT…in order TO BRING US IN, to give us the land which He had sworn to give to our fathers.” Our God has sworn to give us the land which has been promised to us, just as with the children of Israel in the wilderness, and that promised land for you and me is that He has predetermined from before the foundation of the world, that we should be conformed to the image of His Son. It’s His desire, His purpose, even His provision of all-sufficient grace that we finish the course. But sadly, not all pilgrims successfully pas through the wilderness; what is intended to be temporary becomes permanent, instead of the door to life and oneness with Christ it becomes their door to death and eternal separation from God.

Why the wilderness? Deuteronomy 8:2 tells us: “…God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, TESTING YOU to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” [If YOU have a problem with this, ask yourself why Jesus said, “Why do you call Me Lord and do not do what I say?”]. I heard a friend once teach, “whatever God makes, He tests.” Peter said the same thing in I Peter 4:12, “Beloved, DO NOT BE SURPRISED at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you FOR YOUR TESTING, as though some strange thing were happening to you.” Jesus Himself was tested – by the devil, in the wilderness. In Luke 6:40 Jesus tells us, “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been FULLY TRAINED, WILL BE (JUST) LIKE HIS TEACHER.” We are instructed to expect this time of testing in the wilderness to find out what is really in our hearts, “whether (we) would keep His commandments or not.”

In I Corinthians 10:1-12, the apostle Paul warns us to learn from what happened to the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings because it is an example for us in our wilderness walk. In Verse 1 he says, “For I do not want you to be unaware, BRETHREN…” about what happened to our fathers in the wilderness. They had taken into themselves the Passover Lamb (in I Corinthians 5:7 we are told that Christ is our Passover Lamb), they were delivered out of the bondage of Egypt (we are delivered out of the world and the bondage of Satan), they were baptized in the cloud and in the sea (a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the “washing of the water of the Word”), they had experienced the power of God as He delivered them over and over again with mighty signs and wonders, BUT “THEY WERE LAID LOW (DESTROYED) IN THE WILDERNESS!”

Why were they destroyed? Because of their evil desires, idolatry, immorality, they tested God, and they grumbled and complained about the difficulties and hardships they were encountering along the way. Contrary to popular evangelical belief, God did not destroy them because “they were ruining their witness of earth, so He decided to bring them on home early,” God’s destruction is forever, and one lives in a state of death that never dies! And Paul says to you and me in verse 11, “Now these things happened to them as AN EXAMPLE, and they were written FOR OUR INSTRUCTION, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” Then follows a staggering warning that most people today simply choose to ignore. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

It is not God’s desire that any disciple perish but that all come to repentance and walk in holiness, finishing the course, obtaining the witness, not aborting the formation of Christ within us, but going on – going over into the land promised – completion in Christ, “the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:13). After the Lord had led Israel into the wilderness He gave them a choice – “See, I have set before you today LIFE and prosperity, and DEATH and adversity…So CHOOSE LIFE in order that you may live…by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life…” His desire for them, as well as for us, was that they follow Him fully; the Word tells us that He does not will for anyone to perish. But He clearly placed the choice of life and death in their hands. “If your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that YOU SHALL SURELY PERISH.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).

Many of the children of Israel chose to die in the wilderness, they chose not to go all the way with Christ; for them the wilderness became permanent. Why does the wilderness that God intends to be temporary become permanent in the lives of His people? Psalm 106 gives an account of Israel’s wilderness wanderings, and it is a solemn warning for you and me.

THEY FORGOT HIS WORKS

In Psalm 106:13 we are told that “they quickly forgot His works.” This is really an astonishing statement. The mighty works of God were demonstrated before the whole world as a testimony of His power and His choosing of Israel, all of the nations had heard of the works of the God of Israel and it struck fear in their hearts. But Israel forgot! They forgot the power of God that was released in their behalf to deliver them from the captivity of Egypt. They forgot the plagues, they forgot the death angel, they forgot the Blood that spared them, they forgot about the opening of the Red Sea and the destruction of the enemy, they forgot about His provision of manna and the water that came from the rock. The tragedy is that they forgot all of this in just a few short years!

The result of their forgetfulness is found in verse 15, so “He sent a wasting disease among them.” His judgment was released upon them. Now remember that P{aul had told us that “all these things happened as an example, and were written for our instruction…” Is it possible that we could follow in their example of forgetfulness? In Revelation 2 we hear the words of Jesus to the church at Ephesus. “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. REMEMBER from where you and fallen, and REPENT and do the deeds you did first; or else I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand out of its place.” Ephesus forgot. They forgot His mercy and love that He had extended to them. They forgot what they were like before He saved them. They forgot the hell they were living in and the hell they were destined to before He snatched them out of the fires.

Have you forgotten what Christ did for you at Calvary? Have you forgotten the price He paid to redeem you from every lawless deed? Have you forgotten that it was He who sought you out, not you who sought Him out? Paul reminds the Corinthians in I Corinthians 6:9-11, “that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God…neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU, BUT YOU WERE WASHED, BUT YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, BUT YOU WERE JUSTIFIED…”

Have you forgotten that while you were an enemy of God living in the futile way of life handed down to you by your ancestors, “foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another…” Titus 3:3; the kindness of God then appeared to you and saved you? Peter tells us in II Peter 1:9, “For he who lacks these qualities (the character and nature of Jesus Christ) is blind or short-sighted, HAVING FORGOTTEN HIS PURIFICATION FROM HIS FORMER SINS.”

Remember Jesus, remember the price He paid, remember His works! Don’t ever let the enemy cause your mind to become so cluttered with self and the affairs of this life that you forget His works, as Israel did.

THEY DID NOT WAIT FOR HIS COUNSEL

Psalm 106:13 also tells us that “they did not wait for His counsel.” His desire for them was to follow the leading of His Spirit, He would show them the way. In Isaiah 30:21 He tells them, “And your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Jesus told the disciples in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” There is the reality of following the voice of Jesus, the counsel of God, waiting upon Him. And yet the testimony of so many today is to rush out in the impulsiveness of human will rather than the absoluteness of divine will.

The true disciple of the Lord Jesus who wants to go on will not follow the voice of strangers. Many strangers rose up among the children of Israel with ‘a word from God’ to go back to Egypt, to build a golden calf, not to go in to the promised land, not to drive out the nations, to marry foreign women. But God’s word is forever settled and not one jot or tittle of it has passed away. In Jeremiah God addressed the problem of following the words of men rather than the words of God. In Jeremiah 23:16 He said to them, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; THEY SPEAK A VISION OF THEIR OWN IMAGINATION, NOT FROM THE MOUTH OF THE LORD.”

How do we know or recognize a stranger? By knowing the voice of the Lord, by knowing His Word and His Spirit. When you acquaint yourself with The Shepherd you’ll have no problem discerning strangers. Paul foresaw this problem when he gathered to himself the elders of the church at Ephesus. In Acts 20:28-30 he said to them, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit haqs made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU, not sparing the flock; and FROM YOUR OWN SELVES MEN WILL ARISE SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, TO DRAW AWAY THE DISCIPLES AFTER THEM. Therefore be on the alert…” His advice to them was to discern the difference: “And now I commend you to God and TO THE WORD…”

THEIR HEARTS CRAVED EVIL THINGS

Another sign that the wilderness is dangerously close to becoming a place of permanent torment is found in Psalm 106:14, “They craved intensely in the wilderness.” Their hearts turned back to Egypt. Suddenly the wilderness struggle that God was using to work His character and His nature into them, to bring them to a place of total dependence upon Him, became too difficult. And although they were free from slavery, slavery began to look good to them once again. In Numbers 11 we find that they had “greedy desires.” And although they had FORGOTTEN the works of God, they REMEMBERED “the fish we used to eat in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic.” Their hearts turned back to Egypt and they began to long for having their fleshly desires fulfilled once again. It did not matter that it meant enslavement, they were like Esau, willing to trade their inheritance for a bowl of stew

There is the reality of the inward struggle, the battle to bring our minds and bodies into subjection to the will and the way of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is just that, A STRUGGLE! Jesus said in Mark 8:36, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME.” Paul knew the reality of this struggle when he wrote in Galatians 5:17, “The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.” But if you desire to enter in to the promised land, “you may not do the things that you please.”

In the same way that we were formerly slaves of sin, we are to now become slaves of righteousness. How? In Romans 6:12,13 Paul said, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness.” We are not to allow our fleshly cravings to control us, but we are to bring our desires into conformity with His Word. Paul spoke of buffeting his body and making it his slave; bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ; and no longer carrying out the desires of the flesh.

In II Timothy 4:10 Paul sadly reports that “Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me.” In Philippians 2:20-21, in recommending Timothy to that church he admitted the loneliness of his walk; “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. FOR THEY ALL SEEK AFTER THEIR OWN INTERESTS, not those of Christ.” In the same way that Israel was warned the people of God are warned today, but just as the nation of Israel, many of the people of God today are “craving intensely in the wilderness.” Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No one, after putting his hand to he plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” An example of the judgment that comes upon those who look back is found in Lot’s wife, who looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. In Luke 17:32 Jesus simply said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”

THEY TESTED GOD

Psalm 106:14 also tells us that “they tempted God in the desert.” They expected Him to perform for them regardless of the rebellion in their hearts. There came a time in their wilderness walk when there was no water. Instead of crying out to “The Lord Your Provider,” instead of calling upon the name of “Yahweh,” the great “I AM,” they quarreled with Moses. In Exodus 17:3 we read, “The people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses.” Moses cried out to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

In their hearts they were saying, “perhaps God could save us from bondage and slavery, but surely He’s not able to give us water!” “God could provide the blood to save us from sin and death, but surely He’s not able to provide us with our daily bread.” “God could thwart the mighty attack of the enemy, but surely He’s not so personal or thoughtful as to be concerned with our physical sustenance.” “He may be mighty, but He’s not “ALL-MIGHTY!” In Psalm 78:18-19 we read, “And in their heart they put God to the test by asking for food according to THEIR OWN DESIRE. Then they spoke against God; they said, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’”

In Matthew 6 we find the reality of a caring, loving, providing father who so cares for us that the very hairs of our head are numbered. His name reveals His character, “I AM.” “I AM whatever you have need of.” Do you need food? “Look at the birds of the air…Your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they?” Do you need clothing? “Observe how the lilies of the field grow…if God so arrays the grass of the field… will He not much more do so for you?” “I AM YOUR PROVIDER.” Do you understand that He is able to meet every need that we have according to His riches in glory? What does He ask of us? “Do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; or for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?…For ALL THESE THINGS THE GENTILES EAGERLY SEEK; for your Heavenly Father KNOWS THAT YOU NEED ALL OF THESE THINGS. BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.”

THEY REBELLED AGAINST GOD’S AUTHORITY

In Psalm 106:16 we read that “they became envious of Moses in the camp, and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord.” This tragic event is recorded for us in Numbers 16 and it is called “The Rebellion of Korah.” Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with two hundred and fifty leaders of the people, “men of renown,” rose up against Moses and Aaron. Verse 3 records their charge against Moses, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the people the assembly of the Lord?” This sin is prevalent in the church today as men and women begin to experience the presence of God and then the rebellion that is in their hearts begins to manifest against God’s appointed leadership.

Both the Old and New Testaments have much to say about false prophets who mislead the people by not turning them away from their sins, who for the sake of material gain begin to compromise the Word of God. Nowhere in this Word are we told to submit our li9vesw to the teachings and authority of false prophets. But the history of the church reveals that “The Rebellion of Korah” is a common occurrence among the people of God who become enlightened by His Word and become partakers of His Holy Spirit, and then rebel against godly authority. “We are ALL HOLY.” “We have no need that ANY MAN should teach us.” “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us.”

In the 1740’s during the “Great Awakening,” George Whitfield came to America from England preaching a fiery message of holiness and repentance. Sadly, he encountered great opposition from a very ritualistic religious establishment. He later recorded his observation of the state of the ministry in New England in his journals, saying, “Many, nay most that preach, I fear, do not experimentally [or experientially] know Christ.” What George Whitfield spoke was true! But the result of his authoritative blasting of the ministry among the thousands of new converts in the Great Awakening period produced a rebellion to ALL preachers and a spirit of anarchy that nearly destroyed any lasting fruit of that great revival. When Whitfield realized what was happening, he wrote with humility, “Alas, alas! How can I be too severe against myself, who, like Peter, have cut off so many ears, and my imprudencies mixed with my zeal, have dishonored the cause of Christ.”

There is the scriptural precedent for the role of overseer or elder as well as the reality that all who are born again by His Spirit are a part of the body, and each part is “being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part…” [Ephesians 4:16]. But that is not to the exclusion of God-ordained leadership. In Ephesians 4:11 Paul described the “gifts of men” from God to the church, “And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, FOR the equipping of the saints FOR the work of service, TO the building up of the body of Christ…”

Paul told Titus, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might SET IN ORDER what remains, and APPOINT ELDERS IN EVERY CITY as I directed you…” Paul then gave very specific guidelines that these men were to meet. He told Timothy in I Timothy 3:1, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man ASPIRES TO THE OFFICE OF OVERSEER, it is a fine work he desires to do.” Notice that Paul commends that desire, he did not condemn it. James warned us in James 3:1, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.” We serve a holy, sovereign God who is the God of order and not the author of confusion. He has anointed men and placed them in the Body with the responsibility to watch over it, to feed it with the pure word, to protect it from savage wolves and to lead men and women into the measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ.

With the scriptural understanding of the role of overseers, Paul boldly proclaimed in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” It is amazing how we as Christians like to “pick and choose” through the Word of God. The rebellion of Korah is a solemn warning for you and I today; God judged Korah, Datah, and Abiram as well as all who followed them. In Numbers 16:32, 33, we read, “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah, with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol.”

THEY DESPISED THE PROMISE

Psalm 106:24 says, “they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe in His word.” They left Egypt with their eyes fixed on the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey, but when it was time to take possession they refused. The spies who were sent in to the promised land returned with “a bad report,” saying, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us…it is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.” [Numbers 13:31-32].

In the same way, we have been delivered out of the world, ruled by a harsh taskmaster, even Satan himself; a land of sin and guilt, of bondage and slavery, of rebellion and disobedience, and have been given a promise – the promise of being changed, conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Peter tells us that through His precious and magnificent promises we may “become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Imagine that! You and who “were dead in our trespasses and sins…and were by nature children of wrath,” (Ephesians 2:1-3), have the opportunity to be “made alive together with Christ…and seated with Him in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

We must also encounter the trials of the wilderness so that we learn to trust Him in all things, but as we enter the times of testing we are to “greatly rejoice…that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” But sadly, today there are many voices crying out, “the bad report” that the promise of Jesus Christ is unobtainable, that it is vanity for a man to believe that he can be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ in this life. Yet for those who have the spirit of Joshua and Caleb, who are willing to be the only ones to go in and possess the promise, Paul said in II Corinthians 4:11, “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

Will you be like Paul who was able to say at the end of his life, “I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…” and like Joshua and Caleb of whom the Lord spoke in Numbers 14:24, “But My servant Caleb, BECAUSE HE HAD A DIFFERENT SPIRIT AND HAS FOLLOWED ME FULLY, I will bring into the land…”; or will you be like “the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land and who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report concerning the land, even those men who brought out the very bad report of the land died by a plague before the Lord?” Numbers 14:36. The reason they died? They did not believe His word!

THEY JOINED THEMSELVES TO IDOLS

There is no subject in the entire Word of God that is more directly spoken to by God. In Exodus 20:4,5, He told them, “You shall not make for yourself an idol…you shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” The Lord instructed them to drive out all of the nations in the land they were going in to possess because He knew their hearts would be drawn away from Him. They were forbidden to mingle with the nations for this very reason, yet we read in Psalm 106:35, “They mingled with the nations, and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them.”

God called this harlotry, spiritual adultery and prostitution. In Deuteronomy 31 the Lord revealed to Moses what would happen to the people as soon as he was gone, and Moses prophesied to the people in verses 16, 17, “this people will arise and PLAY THE HARLOT WITH STRANGE GODS OF THE LAND…and will forsake Me and BREAK MY COVENANT which I have made with them. Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I WILL FORSAKE THEM and hide My face from them, and they shall be consumed.” And just as the Lord said it would be, it was; in Psalm 106:28 we read, “They joined themselves to Baal-peor.”

The prophet Jeremiah saw what was happening in the land and it absolutely broke his heart. He is called “the weeping prophet” because with brokenness he prophesied to Israel about the impending judgment; he saw how Israel had turned away from the Lord and said in Jeremiah 3:9, “it came about because of the lightness of HER HARLOTRY, that SHE polluted the land and COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH STONES AND TREES.” Paul warned us in I Corinthians 10:7, “And do not be idolaters as some of them were,” and in verse 14 said, “Therefore, my beloved, FLEEE FROM IDOLATRY.” The very last words of John in the book of I John are, “Little children, GUARD YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.”

“Oh, preacher, pastor, prophet – that would never happen to us!” Really? Listen carefully to Colossians 3:5! “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” And YOU ARE UNSURE AMERICA IS FAST BECOMING AN IDOLATROUS NATION? Oh, and by the way, Colossians 3:6 tells us: “Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.”

We are warned that in the same way the wrath of God came upon the children of Israel and they were destroyed in the wilderness, the same thing could happen to us if we turn away from following the Lord to worship other gods in this world! “Oh, God, HELP US!”

THEY RESISTED THE HOLY SPIRIT

I want you to look carefully at Psalm 106:32-33 because there is no doubt this is a problem in modern church life today! “They angered Him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses on account of them; Because they rebelled AGAINST HIS SPIRIT, so that he spoke rashly with his lips.”

It gets clearer when you read Acts 7:51, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You ALWAYS resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.” And that is not good! What about you?

In Romans 8:13-14 Paul tells us: “For if you live according to the flesh [your old sin nature] you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

It is the Holy Spirit of God within a true disciple that honors, exalts, and glorifies Christ, not anything that has to do with one’s “old man or fallen flesh.” And when the Holy Spirit is received, acknowledged, and yielded to, a disciple, then, sees the Spirit at work in Him to lift HIGH Jesus Christ and empower one to live victoriously, not as a defeated disciple! Don’t RESIST the Holy Spirit!

What does John 16:14 tell us? “He, the Holy Spirit, shall glorify Me.” I pray that your very body has become a temple of Holy Presence and that you live a life led by the Spirit of God and not your flesh! And, I pray, you clearly understand Holy Spirit Presence and never yield to defile that temple! Amen?

CONCLUSION:

This has been an interesting, inspiring journey for me and I pray for you also. My heart attack on April 27, 2013, was an awareness of life’s uncertainty, but also a deep awareness of God’s holy presence in and through an available vessel – and that He is in charge!

I’m thankful He gave me extended time to write the book entitled “Resignation To Hopelessness” and this book “Questions That Crush Or Convert.”

And I’m thankful you persevered through 29 questions! And I pray your question or questions have been answered. I encourage you that “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Eat heartily!! Amen? Farrell Fisher

November 22, 2016

Titus 2:1-14 Paul highlights both “fleshly adornment and/or Christ’s atonement”, with, of course, a powerful presentation of what it means to be both Christ-honoring disciples AND pure, sound, well-trained churches touching our world with His saving grace! It says:

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for SOUND DOCTRINE: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things – that they may admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say to you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” [We’ll meditate on these previous verses soon, but I want you to also examine 1 John 3:1-9!].

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now are we children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

It’s also interesting, having read these two powerful texts from Paul and John to see Paul also saying in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” And, if Christ has made you free, why under God’s beautiful blue heavens would you want, even for a moment, to indulge yourself in the “sins of the flesh” when you’ve been made “one in the Spirit with the Son of God, even God Himself”?

It may be because one or someone has bought into the devil’s lie that “you can sin and not die”! The Lord Jesus even had to condemn the “religious Pharisees” when in John 5:39-40 He said of them (and some of us?), “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. BUT YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO COME TO ME (the PROMISED MESSIAH, SAVIOR, REDEEMER, AND LORD!) that you may have life.”

Did Paul say, “Stand fast IN THE LIBERTY BY WHICH CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE”? It’s Christ alone, in His Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope, that sets the captives free to be vessels in and through which the Life of Christ continues to be Himself, in us, as we take daily the sentence of death to our old selves that the Resurrection Life of Christ may be manifested in our mortal flesh! Oswald Chambers put it like this in his book, “My Utmost For His Highest,”, (p.92), “There is only one liberty, the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.” Chambers said on the same page, “These are days of tremendous enterprises, days when we are trying to work for God, and therein is the snare. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus takes us over for “HIS” enterprises, “His” building schemes entirely, and no soul has any right to claim where he shall be put (or what he/she thinks he/she shall do!).”

John the Baptist made a bold, profound, convicting statement when in John 3:30 he said: “He, the Messiah, the Savior and Lord, the coming King of kings and Lord of lords, MUST INCREASE, but I must decrease,” and some “professors of faith” resent that because they believe they are more than able to live out their faith apart from His presence in them! How phony is that since “Christ in you IS the hope of glory”?!

But “fleshly adornment” is also seen vividly in “religious pretenders” who know nothing about “born again”! God is not up to promoting a man’s sense and pride in his/her natural virtues, the pumping of their ‘flesh-devotion’, or their corrupt confidence in their ‘fleshly abilities’!

It was Eliphaz who told Job in Job 4:6, “Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?” He went on, in Verse 17, to ask Job, “Can a mortal be more righteous then God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” And then in Verse 21 he asked, “Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.” And I’m sure, without a doubt, that that is true of some, but not all of the disciples of Christ!

In “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning”, one of her writings is entitled “The Soul’s Traveling,” but I only desire to take line quotes from a very long poem. She wrote: “I dwell amid the city. The great humanity which beats its life along the stony streets, like a strong unsunned river, In a self-made course, is ever Rolling on, rolling on!…

I dwell amid the city, and hear the flow of souls! I do not hear the several contraries – I do not hear the separate tones that rolls in acts or speech, for pomp or trade, for merrymake or folly – I hear the confluence and sum of each, And that is melancholy! – The voice is a complaint, O crowned city, The blue sky covering you, like God’s great pity! –

And as they touch your soul, they borrow as of its grandeur, of its sorrow, That deathly odour which the clay leaves on its deathlessness always. Always! Always! Must this be? Rapid Soul from city gone, Do you carry inwardly what does make the city’s moan? Must this sigh of your own haunt you with humanity?

O fair, fair Nature! Are we thus impotent and querulous among thy workings glorious, – among thy fulnesses that still leave us vacant and defiled, and wailing like a kissed child, kissed soft against his will?”

And as Elizabeth Barrett Browning was ending this dramatic poetic reality of ‘fallen mankind’, she spoke of ‘human vainness ‘unless they travel upward to God’s Throne!’ And then she wrote ,”There sittest THOU, the satisfying ONE, With blood for sins, and holy perfectings for all requirements – while th’ archangel, raising toward Your face his full ecstatic gazing, Forgets the rush and rapture of his wings!”

But “fleshly adornment” is vain! The ONLY supernatural life, again, is “Christ in you the hope of glory”! Conscious holiness in a fleshly mind is “deception” and truly “grieves” the Holy Spirit! Conscious holiness in a fleshly mind resents and reacts adversely to Jesus Himself even saying, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, but you do not do what I say?” “Self-conscious” holiness resents the Cross and celebrates “self-intelligence” and operates on the basis of religious “self-effort”!

But Romans 5:10-11 declares: “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life.”

As the author of Hebrews closed out his amazing revelation, he said, in Hebrews 13:20-21, “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT, make you complete in every good work TO DO HIS WILL, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

And if we’re redeemed, reconciled, re-born in and through the blood of the Lamb of God, if we’re “pardoned, forgiven, made new through His blood”, if we’re “delivered from the penalty of sin, blessed with a new identity ‘in Christ’”, why or how even does one consistently look inward to himself rather than upward to the God of eternal forgiveness with the old sin nature obliterated and the new divine nature freely given? 1 John 1:7 clearly says, “…and the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanses us from all sin.” Human power, fleshly will, self-pardon never erases sin’s debt before Holy God, only the blood of the Lamb! There is nothing so disadvantageous as a haughty and proud spirit that rebuffs the shed blood of the Lamb of God and wilts before the mercy and grace of God, proud of his/her ‘self-sacrifice’ that is ghostly, godless, governed by the unnatural, and guaranteed by the Word of eternal death and separation from Holy God and the Loving Savior!

It was James Milner who once wrote: “While a man rests on his own merits for acceptance with God, it is of little consequence whether he be a pagan idolater, or a proud, ignorant Pharisee. – I know not which of the two is most distant from the kingdom of God.” [The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations, Fleming H. Revell Company, Westwood, New Jersey, p.401]. But by His grace and mercy and love, through repentance toward God and faith alone in Christ’s finished work at the Cross, the true foundation of the born-again believer’s life is not to the ‘athletic principle of ‘best effort’ but to the Person, power, and presence of Christ as the only explanation in you of Divine Life!

And ‘resting on one’s own merits’ for acceptance with God is becoming aware of vacant seat assignments at His banqueting table because invited guests refused to show up! “Fleshly adornment” for a religious ritual on a “fleshly altar” become easily adaptable by many in place of true repentance, true faith, and the true calling for one’s ‘religious accommodations’ and, on their terms, void of the never-fading clear picture of true disciples who DO FORSAKE ALL AND FOLLOW JESUS ONLY!

In Joshua 24:14-15 Joshua spoke then, and he still speaks now! “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served…Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether strange gods…or the gods ‘fallen men’ bow down to around you! But as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”

In some way, or even many ways, Christ Jesus stands at the door of every man or woman’s heart and He knocks, when in Truth, HE IS THE DOOR by which we enter into oneness with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, “the three-in-one”! In John 10:1-5, listen to King Jesus! “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

In Verse 7 Jesus said, “I AM the door of the sheep!” In Verse 9 He said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture…Verse 10b, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Glory! But… if Jesus knocks, do all answer and enter in? Do you understand, witness, or grasp the reality of fleshly obstinacy in some minds and hearts?

And what began in Genesis continued on even to the end of Revelation and all across human history even to this very hour! And “the choice” is always there! In our day, it’s Hollywood movies or the revealed Word of God, messages and basic principles of Godly living or the godless living spouted by godless professors in their curriculums and teachings of godless living, or godless world leaders with the ‘expositions’ of godless men, OR the profound, prophetic teachings of Redeemed men, re-born servants of God and available vessels of ALL the Redeemer desires to reveal, unveil, and do through repentant, faithful hearts!

It’s not “astute minds” that reveals the grace, mercy, and love of God, but “new-born lives” redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, anointed and overflowing with “rivers of living water”, and bathed in the assurance of His words of hope, of heavenly glory, and of the will to live to the honor, glory, and blessing of Christ alone through us! Is Jesus ‘prominent’ in you or is He “preeminent in you”?

In 1 Corinthians 2:4 Paul stated: “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” True disciples yielding daily to the anointing of the Holy Spirit that Christ Jesus WILL BE ILLUMINATED THROUGH THEM? What did Jesus say about Himself as He walked out His eternal earthly calling, ministry, and purpose? In John 17:13-19 we are challenged, convicted, and consecrated by the very words of Christ Himself as He sees us, even now, His ambassadors in a needy world, amply equipped by the Spirit of Truth! Jesus said:

“But now I come to You (Father-God), and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word (Have YOU truly received the Word?); and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. SANCTIFY THEM (or “set them apart”) by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. AND FOR THEIR SAKES I SANCTIFY (or willfully set apart!) Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” Do YOU see “yourself” SET APART TO THE GLORY AND HONOR OF GOD?

Hear me! It’s God’s desire for you and me to be His royal, faithful ambassadors of the true faith with vibrant testimonies, verbal declarations, of the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God – or even as some believers did in Jesus’ day or our own day, they yield to warped, maligned, shamed images and opened-unveilings of sin’s captives, deceived by the world, the flesh, and the devil, and drift, or fall away, and, yes, shame the Name they profess to be aligned with. God, help us!

It was Thomas Watson who once said: “A true saint is a divine landscape or picture, where all the rare beauties of Christ are lively portrayed and drawn forth. He has the same spirit, the same judgment, the same will with Christ.”

In the old “American Hymnal” of 1933, there is a classic hymn written by John Bakewell and Louis von Esch which says: (“Hail, CHRIST Once Despised”):

‘Hail, You once despised Jesus! Hail, You Galilean King! You did suffer to release us; You did free salvation bring. Hail, You agonizing Savior, Bearer of our sin and shame! By Your mercies we find favor; Life is given through Your name.

Paschal Lamb, by God appointed, All our sins on You were laid; By almighty love anointed, You have full atonement made. All Your people are forgiven, Through the virtue of Your blood; Opened is the gate of Heaven; Peace is made between man and God.

Jesus, hail! Enthroned in glory, There forever to abide; All the heavenly hosts adore You, Seated at Your Father’s side; There for sinners You are pleading; there You do our place prepare; Ever for us interceding, Till in glory we appear.

Worship, honor, power, and blessing, You are worthy to receive; Loudest praises, without ceasing, Meet it is for us to give. Help, you bright angelic spirits, Bring your sweetest, noblest lays; Help to sing our Savior’s merits; Help to chant Immanuel’s praise!”

What is YOUR ‘angelic song of the redeemed’ or do you even have one? Hebrews 10:14 declares: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” As a result of God’s mercy for us in Christ, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:29-30, “…that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who became FOR US wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’”! AMEN? That’s “unholy men made holy”, that’s “unrighteous men declared righteous”, that’s “ indicted men forgiven, freed, and filled with the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ,” that’s “the ‘incomplete’ declared complete in Christ our Lord and Savior”!

Another old hymn in closing this message entitled “Glory to His Name” written by Rev. E.A.Hoffman and Rev. J.H. Stockton out of the same old “The American Hymnal! It says:

“Down at the cross where my Savior died, Down where for cleansing from sin I cried, There to my heart was the blood applied; Glory to His name.

I am so wondrously saved from sin, Jesus so sweetly abides within, There at the cross where He took me in; Glory to His name.

Oh, precious fountain that saves from sin, I am so glad I have entered in; There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean; Glory to His name.

Come to this fountain so rich and so sweet; Cast your poor soul at the Savior’s feet; Plunge in today, and be made complete; Glory to His name.

Glory to His name,…Glory to His name;…There to my heart was the blood applied; Glory to His name.” Amen? Will YOU bow and sing: “Glory to His name ONLY”?

By: J. Farrell Fisher, July, 2017

There’s a powerful, eye-opening, convicting statement when Isaiah said in Isaiah 64:6-7, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities. [You are aware, I would think, that the ‘unclean thing’ or ‘filthy rags’ are rags stained, like a woman’s disposable rags, from her menstrual cycle!). And, how many do you know outside the ‘redeemed community’ who ‘appreciate’ Holy God’s description of their sinful lives and condemned position as ‘a menstrual rag’ prior to its ‘waste basket’ tossing?

In another prophetic book, Ezekiel 37, the prophet, in Verse One, describes, in a vision, “The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.” In Verse Three God asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And Ezekiel said to Him, “O Lord God, You know.” Oh, and then there is the eternal calling of Holy God upon His ‘chosen people’ saying to an Ezekiel and every true, blood-bought servant of the Most High God, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you (physical breath or the spiritual breath of Holy God?), and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring (new) flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.’”

You are, more than likely, fully aware that many within the professing ‘church family’ are void of understanding or comprehension of “sinners made saints,” the “lost being found,” the “ungodly declared godly through God’s grace,” or the “worldly becoming true citizens of the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior”! The unredeemed have only a “grave address”, living without any hope in themselves to influence their world redemptively, but can do an admirable job in “fleshly best” living apart from God, leaving their “friends” as unredeemed as themselves! Only God’s amazing grace unveils what human nature looks like apart from “Christ in you the hope of glory”!

I’M SURE YOU’RE AWARE OF WHAT Genesis 6:5 DECLARES early in ‘human history’! It says: “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Romans 3:23 clearly says: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And, sadly, many are aware of the glory of God but more devoted to their sin and sin nature! But they do not understand that “the wages of sin is death” when they are so alive in themselves to what their fallen flesh dictates! And impregnation with devotion to the old sin nature continues until convicted by the Holy Spirit and converted to “new life” in Christ! It was Spurgeon who once said: “Sin is a sovereign till sovereign grace dethrones it.” So true!

The counterfeit of obedience to God, if there is any inclination to that ‘thought’, is one’s “best effort” of determination to prove what many perceive “ought to please Him as He sees my strong self-will”! And nowhere in the Word of God do you find any indication of God desiring you to do your ‘best’ but acknowledging and resting in YOUR “crucifixion with Christ at the Cross” and receiving the fullness of the blessing of His Resurrection Life as you repent! Isn’t this what Paul was telling us in 2 Corinthians 7:10? “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

You haven’t forgotten already Isaiah’s declaration of fallen men’s hearts before Holy God in Isaiah 64:6-7a? “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; [and in the ‘flesh’, the old sin-nature] we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And THERE IS NO ONE WHO CALLS ON GOD’S NAME, who stirs himself up to take hold of you,” BUT Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:20, “BEHOLD, I stand at the door (of your heart!) and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

And this is why I know Paul wrote in Romans 15:13, “NOW may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing (trusting in, relying upon, adhering to!), that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Several things I want you to “rest in” as you see: “It’s A Matter Of The Heart!” FIRST, IT’S A MATTER OF HEART CONVICTION INITIATED BY THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! Receive Spurgeon’s words in “My Utmost For His Highest,” (p.255), when he wrote: “The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man’s respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life.”

In 1 John 4:9-13 the beloved John wrote: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By THIS WE KNOW THAT WE ABIDE IN HIM, AND HE IN US, BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT.” Have YOU received, rested in, and relying upon the Holy Spirit daily?

Even in the short ‘epistle’ of Jude he wrote: Verses 20-21, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

SECOND, IT’S A MATTER OF THE HEART CONCERNING HEART PREPARATION DAILY FOR NOT ONLY ACKNOWLEDING HIS PRESENCE WITHIN US BUT YIELDING TO HIS LEADERSHIP THROUGH US IN GLORIFYING AND HONORING THE LORD JESUS! In the Galatian letter Paul wrote: Galatians 6:8, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” How vital is it to you in your journey of faith to be daily yielded to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you and through you?

There Is, for some, a counterfeit of allegiance apart from full desire to be one WITH God and honoring the Christ within by being yielded to the Holy Spirit! It’s as if for them the Holy Spirit is an unnecessary part of the Godhead! But for true believers who honor Christ in their daily walks of faith, there is a deliberate, daily determination to be “led by the Holy Spirit”!

The Lord Jesus said in John 16:13-14 of the work or ministry of the Holy Spirit in every true believer: “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears (from God the Father) He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine, and declare it to you.”

You do realize, out of spiritual immaturity or out-right rebellion, that some believers live with a pious attitude worked up in their flesh and minds with ‘good intentions’ but fall far short of glorifying or honoring Christ Jesus when we’ve just read King Jesus saying, “He, the Holy Spirit, will glorify Me!” Grace includes God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to the true child of the King! In John 7:37-38 we read: On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believed in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Do you remember Jesus’ conversation with “the woman at the well” in John 4:23-24? He said: “…the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

THIRD, IT’S A MATTER OF HEART-AND- MIND TRANSFORMATION BY THE HOLY SPIRIT! Paul told us in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be (being) transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Even in the Old Testament, Ezekial 11:19, as God informed Israel and the world-at-large of a coming “new covenant”, He declared, “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of the flesh and give them a heart of (tender) flesh”, willing to follow His Word and His Spirit!

In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 Paul also exposes ‘fleshly’ disciples and pretenders, even demonic presence, desiring to keep people from the “eternal Truth”! He said: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to THEIR works,” not God’s work through Spirit-anointing, presence, and power within His true disciples!

Do you ever find yourself in a “so-called spiritual gathering” where some are so easily led astray, even falling away, because they bought in to ‘fleshly lies’ substituted for spiritual, eternal Truth? In 1 Timothy 6:20-21 Paul wrote to his spiritual son and us saying, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge – by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.”

The Spirit-inspired Word of 1 Peter 4:1-2 says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

Disciples of Christ today are often challenged, criticized, condemned, or ostracized by the ‘kingdoms’ or ‘worldly men’ of devotion to the “best of human ability”, whether by godless governments, spiritually-mindless educators, unbelieving entrepreneurs, or unredeemed neighbors who see your love of Christ, His Word, and His church as ‘misplaced, brainless devotion’ to an empty cause! But in 1 Peter 4:13-14 Peter went on to say: “…rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, FOR the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

FOURTH, IT’S A MATTER OF HEART-ILLUMINATION AS TO THE REALITY AND EVIDENCE OF SPIRIT-ANOINTED SERVANTS OF CHRIST! In Matthew 7:15-20 our Lord and Savior warns us, saying, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

Paul had given a substantive challenge when in Galatians 5:16 he said: I say then: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” In Verses 22-25 he then instructed us: “But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” There are no ‘short-cuts’ to victorious living as a disciple of Christ or “cheap-shots of my best effort” – Death to self only and life in His Resurrection fullness, no fleshly, personal ambition but only His revelation and unveiling of the Spirit, no individual determination to reveal or unveil Christ ‘through me”, but only, as Jesus said, “You’ll know them by their fruit!”

Isaac Watts and George F. Handel really nailed it when they wrote the old Christmas classic together entitled “Joy To The World.” It says: “Joy to the world! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, and Heaven and nature sing!

Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns; Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy!

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found! He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love!” What song of faith do you sing right now in your life?

BY: J. Farrell Fisher, July 30, 2014

It’s really amazing when you come to John 8 and read about Jesus talking to those who “believed in Him.” Verses 31-48 says, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free?’”

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Jesus, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father – God.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from [or ‘out-of’] God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words. Therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Then the Jews answered Him and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

“Liberty in Christ – A License to Sin?” You do understand that in a lot of churches across America today, and, yes, even the world, there are those who publicly teach and believe that “Christians” can’t do anything but sin until they get to heaven!

I just pray you hear Jesus for yourself saying, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin.” He does sin and he keeps on sinning, he does sin and he keeps on sinning, he does sin and he keeps on sinning – that’s the nature of a man who has fallen away from God!

In 2 Peter 2 Peter has been illuminating “the danger of false teachers” as we read verses 12-22: “But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,

and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; [Numbers 22]; but he was rebuked for his iniquity; a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’”

John 8:34? Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”

Would you dare consider slavery and bondage to a government that spurns God Almighty? And yet, the majority of our world is enslaved to godless governments! Would you dare even look at or examine ‘religious traditions’ that have no relevance to revealed truth? Just think about those unreservedly committed to an Old Testament tradition that has already been fulfilled in the Resurrected Life of Christ!

Has ‘self-righteousness’ played a role in the bondage and slavery of men to themselves and what their ‘flesh’ dictates? Have you ever considered, thought about, entertained, dealt with the demonic bondage you’ve been a part of your whole life up until now? If you didn’t know it, Satan owns you and comes after you every day to fulfill his godless purposes!

In Job 1:6-22 we read: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided them and took them away – indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshipped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

You do realize, you know, that every individual without the Lord and Savior in their hearts and minds, belongs to Satan and the powers of darkness – they are enslaved, they’re bound with spiritual chains they can’t even see, and are imprisoned by him in a “slavish” state obeying the dictates of their ‘lord’ and ‘master’!

What about the real bondage and slavery to unbelief of the historic Christ and His able-ness to forgive you, set you free, and fulfill God’s eternal destiny of your life? Enslaved to godless governments, enslaved, yes, even to some religious traditions, to ‘self-righteousness,’ to demonic bondage: what did Jesus say in Mark 4:15? “The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the message, but SATAN COMES AT ONCE AND TAKES IT AWAY FROM THEM.” Bondage then – bondage now!

In I Timothy 5:15 Paul spoke of some “professors” who had no true possession of the title deed of their lives to place in Jesus’ hands: “For some have already turned aside after Satan.”

In Isaiah 61:1-3 the prophet informs us of Sovereign God’s eternal plan as he speaks of the Coming Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Do you truly understand ‘liberty’ or ‘freedom’? Without a doubt it is the liberty and freedom to totally ignore God and make a mess of your life and surroundings with a sad eternal consequence or the liberty and freedom to let God in Christ Jesus to have His way in your life forever!

I found William Cowper’s statement to be so fundamentally true. He said: “To die for the truth is not to die merely for one’s faith or one’s country; it is to die for the world. Their blood shed is shed in confirmation of the noblest claim – the claim TO FEED UPON IMMORTAL TRUTH, TO WALK WITH GOD, AND BE DIVINELY FREE.”

And if you didn’t know, Satanic freedom is greater bondage and enslavement! But, (John 8:36), “So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.”

Liberty or liberated or liberation or freedom – tremendous words for every man regardless of his residence or rank! That relates to personal liberty, national liberty, or even marital liberty in the sense that mates don’t enslave but free a partner to become highest in God’s determination for a husband or a wife.

Liberty or freedom is best understood as a person who has truly been in bondage in his/her past but who now is no longer in the chains of relationships but free and certainly able to respond to God for every choice that one makes.

Liberty or freedom is clearly revealed as the defense of the freedom of discovery of who God intends that man/woman to be and intends for that man/woman to do what honors God the most through his/her life, even at the point of suffering, or sacrifice, or the choice of death to himself/herself in every circumstance or situation.

But you ask: “What is liberty?” It is the eternal license of Heaven to honor God in submission and obedience. Bondage comes when the sin nature reigns, disobedience is the constant of one’s life, and a phony license of satisfying one’s ‘flesh’ is a constant and even favored by the fallen majority.

I’m telling you without hesitation: one of the most God-honoring things a man can do is to shed his own blood in behalf of divine truth, in behalf of the all-out commitment to walk with God, and to exemplify freedom even as one is crucified for the faith!

Liberty in Christ overrules, let’s say, ‘freedom in America to determine one’s destiny’; there are literally millions in our nation who experience degrees of political freedom but are in total bondage concerning their sin natures and rebellion towards the God who made them, lost them,, and bought them with a price!

Divine freedom, spiritual liberty, is so far superior to one’s political freedom. In fact, for a true believer, a loving smile will even be extended to his executioner as his head is chopped off! That’s true freedom and heavenly liberty!

What did Isaiah say, again, in Isaiah 61:1? “He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”

Alexander Maclaren, in his “Expositions of Holy Scripture,” [Vol.10, John 1-10, p.349], said: “But when once you get to understand the depths of your own need, and the depths of your brother’s need, then nothing less than the Christ who died to solve the problem, insoluble else, of how to emancipate the soul and the world from the tyranny of sin, will be enough for you.”

John 8:36, “So of the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” In Romans 6:15-18 we read: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slave whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that THOUGH YOU WERE SLAVES OF SIN, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. AND HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, you became slaves of righteousness.”

There’s no greater word in the English language than the word “free” – and there’s no greater man on earth than the man who spends his life for the freedom of others. That’s Jesus!

Governmental bondage is for those who see no significance to the Godly-rule whose leadership is spiritual freedom that cares about, commits to, and continually seeks after setting captives free! And I firmly believe eternal honor is given to those who expend their lives to free others from the chains of civil bondage and are committed to seeing that men are possessing and enjoying God-given rights. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and blessing is not intended to be a USA only principle!

The chains of religious superstitions and demonic philosophies are violations of the very nature and character of God Himself! There are dark and deadly influences that will overshadow, shut down, oppress, and even enslave sincere but unsuspecting souls who are not rooted and grounded in God’s Holy Word!

The bondage of carnal desires and instinctive, fleshly, sin-anointed inclinations are abundant taking one further downward than he/she already is, blackening the heart more, corrupting the mind unmercifully, rotting one more and more with the bad fruit of a deadly spiritual virus and disease, enslaving one more and more and more with the devil’s yoke of bondage.

But have you also become aware of the “time-bomb” of self-reformation and self-improvement and self-adulation as one promotes himself/herself? Transformation is God’s business –‘flesh’ improvement is the devil’s corner of our world! “Born again” is Jesus’ miracle of grace and mercy – acceptance by an unbelieving world is Satan’s push through you of his prominence and perversions.

Also, what about chained to the hurts and pains of the past? And one refuses to deal with it, expose it, forgive it, and find reconciliation where needed? Some just blame God and never consider that the pain of their past was a ‘masterpiece’ of the devil himself! The devil is a ‘master-strategist’ and he knows how to capture, deceive, and embitter folks, certainly promoting unforgiveness and promoting ‘self-protection’ against what pains you, not realizing or knowing that exposure of past hurts can be Heaven’s help in holy healing!

Far more and deeper darkness and greater bondage is one’s, yes, ignorance of his/her spiritual death before God! It’s clear: Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death…!” But how many do you know who would laugh at you because you quote them God’s Truth, and then pass you off as a religious ‘freak’? Others know their spiritual depravity, their present awareness of “guilty before God,” and sense for themselves a spirit of hopelessness – “God’s love can’t be that extreme and unlimited to forgive me!” Here’s the Truth:

I John 1:5-10, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Again, John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” The Son? That’s the Son of God! That’s Emmanuel, ‘God with us’! That’s Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, who willingly chose the Cross for Himself for our Redemption and our Release!

There’s no true freedom apart from Christ Jesus! The highest intellectual, the most brilliant scholar, is destined for the emptiness of divine recognition without Christ as Lord and Savior of his life! Self-effort righteousness is vain, slaps God in the face, and is a curse upon one’s life while Sovereign-implanted righteousness in Christ is one’s saving grace, Masterful mercy, and eternal likeness, liberty, and the loving stamp of God’s approval and our God-like identification!

Do you even understand your redemption and freedom and liberty was planned by God even before the world was created? In Revelation 13:8 we read, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”

There’s several vital Truths I want to emphasize before I close this message. 1.YOUR SALVATION SOVEREIGNLY PLANNED, PERSONALLY IMPLEMENTED, AND WILLINGLY CHOSEN BY JESUS, THE LAMB OF GOD! Isaiah 53:4-10 tells us, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked – but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.”

2. YOUR SALVATION SACRIFICIALLY PURCHASED! In I Peter 1:18-24 we read, “KNOWING that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.’”

Listen to Spurgeon!! [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Vol.8, p.201]: “You go free (clear of your sin debt) because He bore your burden (your sin-burden and guilt) for you. See Him bear His agony – ‘crushed beneath the millstone of the law, till all His head, His hair, His garments bloody be.’ See Him yonder, dragged to Pilate’s hall, bound, whipped like a common felon, scourged like a murderer, and dragged away by hell-hounds through the streets, fastened by those cruel fetters which went through His flesh to the accursed wood! See Him yielding up His liberty to the dungeon of death! There the Mighty One sleeps in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Dearly did He purchase with His own bondage the liberty which He so freely gives.”

3. YOUR SALVATION SWEETLY PRESENTED! In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus, Lord and Savior, speaks to us ALL: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus doesn’t come to you with a big stick but with open arms! He doesn’t come in anger but with mercy and grace! He doesn’t come in an accusatory tone but with holy admiration and heavenly love. He sees us as slaves to the world’s darkness and offers us His Eternal Light, He sees us imprisoned in the chains of sin and death and offers us forgiveness, freedom, and a forever relationship.

He comes to us and knocks on our hearts’ door because the truth is, no man has ever sought God on his own merit but only because of the Master’s mercy! That man in the deepest darkness of a hellish existence, alienated and separated from God is offered an open door to Heaven, an eternal relationship with the Son of Light, and, yes, given a mission responsibility of touching the unworthy around you with God’s Calvary love!

4. YOUR SALVATION IS A PRESENT POSSESSION! There’s an interesting verse that David gives us when in Psalm 27:4 he said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His Temple.”

But a new day has dawned, a new event has occurred, a new residence has been established by God – and your redeemed, regenerated, re-made, restored to eternal intent body, has actually become the Temple of the Lord, His earthly dwelling place, His, yes, desired residence on this earth – and it’s IN YOU as a redeemed son or daughter of God!

Examine I Corinthians 3:16-17! “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

Do you receive God’s Eternal Truth? Do you walk in it? Does Holy Scripture guide your life? Listen to 2 Corinthians 6:16-18! “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD! As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.” In Ephesians 2:22 Paul reminds us, “in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Does the “building inspector” put His ‘OK’ on your life?

5. YOUR SALVATION IS A PERFECT PARDON! I love what Paul wrote to us and the Philippian church when he said in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Do you understand, live by, grasp the truth every day that Holy God is, does, and will complete His good work in you, and that, really, His perfect pardon inspires YOU more and more to honor and bless the Holy One who has touched you with His grace and mercy and called you: ‘another son, another daughter, just like My Eternal Son, Jesus Christ’?

In Matthew 18:3 Jesus clearly said: “I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

“A perfect pardon”? That’s as a baby, a growing infant, a maturing child is totally dependent upon his parents, so our perfect pardon is our Lord and Savior overseeing our lives of faith as we grow and mature in Him – we’re birthed in the Kingdom as if we’ve already finished the race – He sees us as “complete in Christ” lacking nothing!

A hardened, godless heart, encountering Christ and surrendering to His Lordship and His Salvation as the promised Messiah and Savior, finds a new heart of total tenderness and love, like a stony heart that now beats with the heart-beat of Christ every moment since the moment of his divine conversion!

It was John Keats, in his “Letter to J.H. Reynolds,” who said: “There is an awful warmth about my heart like a load of immortality.” That’s so amazing, so true, and so encouraging and uplifting!

Hear the Word! “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY!” What does the Holy Word say to us? “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” Maybe these newly composed words will encourage and inspire you: “Free from bondage because Christ paid the price, Free from the devil because our Lord broke his chains, Free to live victoriously because it’s King Jesus who reigns…

From God’s throne grace reigns, and Jesus shed His blood and there is remission; Because He paid the price of sin and death, there’s no condemnation – He’s given us a perfecting salvation…

His glorious calling will never be amended because Jesus’ sacrifice was holily attended – blood shed, LIFE DIED, but in God’s power our Lord was resurrected…

Self-effort is vain and always the same, but Jesus in His sacrifice glorified God’s Name; though troubled by the Cross He never saw it as His loss, but lifted up, He drank the cup of suffering and death to cloth us in God’s amazing grace.”

In John 11:25-26 Jesus told Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

There are such blessed, inspired, heart-warming words that Peter wrote in I Peter 1:3-6! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade way, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials…”

Follow Alexander Maclaren’s words in his “Exposition of Holy Scriptures”: [John 1-14, pps. 349-350], “And, brethren, just as the ignoring of the fact of sin makes the real understanding of Christ and His word impossible, so it makes the real reception of Him for ourselves impossible. Many men are brought near to Jesus by other roads; thank God for it! There are a thousand ways to the Cross, but it is the Cross that we must clasp, if any in true sense we are to clasp Christ. And there is all the difference between the superficial, partial, and easy-going profession of Christianity which is so common among us today, and the life-and-death clutching and clinging to Him which comes when, and only when, a man feels that the tyrant whom he served as a slave is close behind him, and that his only chance of freedom is to hold fast by the horns of the altar of the sanctuary, and to cleave to the Christ in whom, and in whom alone, we are free indeed.”

I Corinthians 15:31, “I die daily” – Is that your testimony? 2 Corinthians 1:9, “Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead…”

What did Paul tell us in Galatians 5:1? “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again in a yoke of bondage.”

Many years ago Samuel Francis Smith wrote the song, “America”. One of the verses says: “Long may our land be bright With freedom’s holy light; Protect us by Your might, Great God, our King.”

FREEDOM! It’s “the pearl of great price” given to us by Christ alone through His shed blood at the Cross – and through the Cross, we’re set free to be free to choose daily to live only in and through His Resurrection Life and Hope!

WITH “THE SAVIOR”?

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, JUNE 5-6, 2019

IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO SAY, ‘DANCING WITH SIN’ WHICH ALL MEN HAVE DONE & SOME STILL DO, “OR”, A “DALLIANCE WITH SIN” WHICH SOME ‘CHOOSE’ TO CALL IT WITH THE WORD ‘DALLIANCE’ IN “THE RANDOM HOUSE COLLEGE DICTIONARY” OF 1973 DEFINING ‘DALLIANCE’ AS “A TRIFLING AWAY OF TIME;DAWDLING, AMOROUS TOYING, FLIRTATION.” THAT WORD MAY NOT FULLY DESCRIBE THE SERIOUSNESS OF A ‘SIN-INDULGER’, BUT SADLY THE WORD IS ENOUGH TO DESCRIBE HOW EASILY THE ‘SIN-NATURE’ HIDES ITSELF IN ITS OWNER!

SOME SEE IT AS A ‘SPORT’ RATHER THAN WHO OR WHAT THEY INDULGE IN REGULARLY; OTHERS DECEIVE THEMSELVES IN DEFIANCE TO THE “LAWS OF GOD”, LIKE “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY”; BUT IF ONE DOESN’T CARE WHAT GOD SAYS, HE/SHE CONTINUES IN “SELF-WORSHIP” & “SELF-PLEASURE” CONSIDERING, “I AM WHO I AM, DOING AS I PLEASE!” A ‘DALLIANCER’ STRUTS PROUDLY BEFORE HOLY GOD UNASHAMED OF HIS WORLDLY, FLESHLY, SATAN-INSPIRED RENDEVOUS WITH ‘DEADLY INDULGENCE’!

‘A DALLIANCE WITH SIN’? DOES IT HAVE CONSEQUENCES? FOLLOW PETER IN THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD IN 2 PETER 2:9-22!! IT’S SERIOUS & SOVEREIGNLY UNVEILING BY HOLY GOD WHO INSPIRED PETER TO WRITE IT!!! “THE LORD KNOWS HOW TO DELIVER THE GODLY OUT OF TEMPTATIONS, & TO RESERVE THE UNJUST UNTO THE DAY OF JUDGMENT TO BE PUNISHED; BUT CHIEFLY THEM THAT ‘WALK AFTER THE FLESH’ (OR OLD SIN-NATURE!) IN THE LUST OF UNCLEANNESS, & DESPISE GOVERNMENT. PRESUMPTUOUS ARE THEY, SELF-WILLED; THEY ARE NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK EVIL OF DIGNATARIES. WHEREAS ANGELS, WHICH ARE GREATER IN POWER & MIGHT, BRING NOT RAILING ACCUSATION AGAINST THEM BEFORE THE LORD.

BUT THESE, AS NATURAL BRUTE BEASTS, MADE TO BE TAKEN & DESTROYED, SPEAK EVIL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND NOT; & SHALL UTTERLY PERISH IN THEIR OWN CORRUPTION; & SHALL “RECEIVE THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS”,AS THEY THAT COUNT IT PLEASURE TO RIOT IN THE DAY TIME. SPOTS THEY ARE & BLEMISHES, SPORTING THEMSELVES WITH THEIR OWN DECEIVINGS, WHILE THEY FEST WITH YOU: HAVING EYES FULL OF ADULTERY, & THAT CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN; BEGUILING,UNSTABLE SOULS:AN HEART THEY HAVE EXERCISED WITH COVETOUS PRACTICES; CURSED CHILDREN; WHICH HAVE FORSAKEN THE RIGHT WAY, & ARE GONE ASTRAY, FOLLOWING THE WAY OF BALAAM THE SON OF BOSOR, WHO LOVED THE WAGES OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS;

BUT WAS REBUKED FOR HIS INIQUITY; THE DUMB ASS SPEAKING WITH MAN’S VOICE FORBAD THE MADNESS OF THE PROPHET. THESE ARE WELLS WITHOUT WATER, CLOUDS THAT ARE CARRIED WITH A TEMPEST; TO WHOM THE MIST OF DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOR EVER. FOR WHEN THEY SPEAK GREAT SWELLING WORDS OF VANITY, THEY ALLURE THROUGH THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, THROUGH MUCH WANTONNESS, THOSE THAT WERE CLEAN ESCAPED FROM THEM WHO LIVE IN ERROR. WHILE THEY PROMISE THEM LIBERTY, THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION; FOR OF WHOM A MAN IS OVERCOME, OF THE SAME IS HE BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE.

FOR IF AFTER THEY HAVE ESCAPED THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, THEY ARE AGAIN ENTANGLED THEREIN, & OVERCOME, THE LATTER END IS WORSE WITH THEM THAN THE BEGINNING. FOR IT HAD BEEN BETTER FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAN, AFTER THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, TO TURN FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM. BUT IT IS HAPPENED UNTO THEM ACCORDING TO THE TRUE PROVERB, THE ‘DOG’ IS TURNED TO HIS OWN VOMIT AGAIN; & THE SOW THAT WAS WASHED TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MIRE.” HOW SERIOUS, HOW SAD, HOW SCARY DO YOU FIND THOSE WORDS? “A DALLIANCE WITH SIN?”

IN LUKE 11:34 JESUS SAID, “THE LIGHT OF THE BODY IS THE EYE; THEREFORE WHEN YOUR EYE IS SINGLE, YOUR WHOLE BODY IS FULL OF LIGHT; BUT WHEN YOUR EYE IS EVIL, YOUR WHOLE BODY ALSO IS FULL OF DARKNESS.” ARE ‘YOU’ DOUBLE-EYED OR SINGLE-EYED? DO YOU SEE YOUR VIEW OF SELF & YOUR WORLD FROM ONLY YOUR POINT OF VIEW OR HAVE YOU ALLOWED HOLY GOD TO SOLVE THE ‘DOUBLE-EYED SPIRITUAL STUPIDITY’? IS YOUR ‘LIFE’ THE “DEW-NITED-STATES OF THE USA” SOAKEN ‘WET’ WITH THE SATANIC MOISTURE OF ‘SELF-INDULGENCE’? HOW MANY DO YOU KNOW WHO ARE “ANCIENT IN UNBELIEF” OR “AGED IN BONDAGE TO SIN” LIKE THE WORLD, THE FLESH-NATURE, OR SATAN HIMSELF?

‘FLESH-AMBITION’, ‘SIN-NATURE ENSLAVED’, ‘WORLDLY DECEIVED’, OR ‘SATANICALLY BLINDED’ TO THE WORD, THE WILL, THE WAY OF HOLY GOD IN & THROUGH CHRIST ALONE THROUGH HIS SHED BLOOD, THE CRUEL CROSS, & THE HISTORIC BURIAL,THEN RESURRECTION AFTER THREE DAYS IN THE BORROWED TOMB, PRESENTLY RULING & REIGNING AT THE RIGHT-HAND-THRONE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, &, YES, STILL KNOCKING ON THE HEARTS’ DOORS OF ALL MEN IN ALL THE WORLD, YES, ASKING, “OPEN TO ME & I’LL COME IN” – & IF “YOU” DO, YOU’RE INVOLVED IN ETERNAL BLESSINGS BY MERCIFUL GOD WHO “GAVE HIS OWN SON FOR THE CRUEL CRUCIFIXION” IN ORDER TO DELIVER US FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN & DEATH & SLAVERY TO SATANIC CONTROL & BLINDED WITH A FALLEN WORLD’S MISCONCEPTION OF WHAT “LIFE” HERE IS ALL ABOUT!!! THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT “MY WORLD, FOR MY SELF, ACCORDING TO MY MIND, HEART, & FLESHLY AMBITION – NOT THE WILL OF SOME FOREIGN GOD!” THAT IS “FALLEN AWAY”!! THAT IS “BLINDED TO THE LOVE OF GOD”!! THAT IS “DECEIVED BY THE POWERS OF DARKNESS” & “LURED INTO THE WORLD OF UNBELIEF, THE WORLD OF SELF-INDULGENCE, & THE WORLD OF SATAN’S CONTROL”!! WHERE & WITH WHOM ARE YOU LIVING & WHAT IS YOUR STYLE OF WORSHIP & BELIEF?

IN THE “AMAC MAGAZINE” (MAY/JUNE 2019) IS AN ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT DAVID HOROWITZ’S BOOK, “DARK AGENDA: THE WAR TO DESTROY CHRISTIAN AMERICA.” THOUGH JEWISH, HOROWITZ EXPOSES, YES, A WAR AGAINST CHRISTIANS WITH THE AIM OF ELIMINATING ANYTHING ‘CHRISTIAN’ IN AMERICA! (EXCUSE ME, BUT I THINK AMAC’S INTRODUCTION OF HOROWITZ IS VITALLY IMPORTANT!). HERE GOES: “DARK AGENDA:THE WAR TO DESTROY CHRISTIAN AMERICA,” IS DAVID HOROWITZ’S EXTRRAORDINARY LOOK INTO THE LEFT’S CALCULATED EFFORTS TO CREATE A GODLESS, HEATHEN AMERICAN SOCIETY. HE ARGUES THAT EVEN JEWS – & ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN GOD-WILL BE IN DANGER IF CHRISTIANS ARE NOT PROTECTED. HOROWITZ IS A “NEW YORK TIMES” BESTSELLING AUTHOR & LEADING CONSERVATIVE THINKER. HOROWITZ ARGUES THAT JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES ARE AT THE VERY ROOT OF AMERICA’S DEMOCRACY & SUCCESS. KILL OFF SUCH VALUES & ALL OUR FREEDOMS COULD PERISH. EVERYBODY COULD BE IN DANGER….!!.”DARK AGENDA” BRINGS VITAL INSIGHTS INTO THE WAR AGAINST CHRISTIANITY & NAMES THE GLOBAL RADICALS, LEFTISTS DEMOCRATES, & FAT CATS OF HOLLYWOOD & WALL STREET RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. FINALLY, A CLEAR & SENSIBLE AMERICAN VOICE –ONE THAT IS JEWISH, THAT MAKES AN IMPASSIONED PLEA WARNING OF THE GRAVE DANGER TO OUR FREEDOMS & OUR VERY LIVES IF WE LET THE SECULARISTS WIN & CHRISTIANITY IS DESTROYED.” “A DALLIANCE WITH SIN”?

IN MARK 13 YOU’LL FIND AN AMAZING, ASTONISHING, ACCURATE UNVEILING OF THIS “DALLIANCE WITH SIN OR ONE’S DESTINY IN & THROUGH CHRIST JESUS”!!! IN VERSES 5-26 YOU’LL FIND MULTIPLE ENLIGHTMENTS BOTH TRAGIC & TRUTHFULLY TRIUMPHANT! JESUS SPOKE FIRST OF FALSE CHRISTS IN VERSES 5-6, SECONDLY HE ENLIGHTENS ABOUT ‘WARS’ IN VERSES 7-8, THIRDLY, HE SPEAKS ABOUT PERSECUTIONS, VERSES 9-13, FOURTHLY, HE HEIGHTENS UNDERSTANDING OF CONTINUING DANGEROUS TIMES, VERSES 14-23, IN THE FIFTH PLACE, VERSES 24-37, HE UNVEILS A CLIMAX TO THE WORLD’S STRUGGLES & THE CLIMACTIC VICTORY OF THE SON OF GOD!!

IN “THE AMERICAN HYMNAL” (PUBLISHED IN 1933 BY BROADMAN PRESS, NASHVILLE, TENN.), PAGE 364, IS A HYMN WRITTEN BY WM.F.SHERWIN ENTITLED “SOUND THE BATTLE CRY”. IT SAYS: “SOUND THE BATTLE CRY! SEE, THE FOE IS NIGH; RAISE THE STANDARD HIGH FOR THE LORD; GIRD YOUR ARMOR ON, STAND FIRM, EVERY ONE; REST YOUR CAUSE UPON HIS HOLY WORD.

STRONG TO MEET THE FOE, MARCHING ON WE GO, WHILE OUR CAUSE WE KNOW, MUST PREVAIL; SHIELD & BANNER BRIGHT, GLEAMING IN THE LIGHT; BATTLING FOR THE RIGHT WE NE’ER CAN FAIL.

O! YOU GOD OF ALL, HEAR US WHEN WE CALL, HELP US ONE & ALL BY YOUR GRACE; WHEN THE BATTLE’S DONE, & THE VICTORY’S WON, MAY WE WEAR THE CROWN BEFORE YOUR FACE.

ROUSE,THEN,SOLDIERS, RALLY ROUND THE BANNER, READY, STEADY, PASS THE WORD ALONG; ONWARD, FORWARD, SHOUT A LOUD HOSANNA! CHRIST IS CAPTAIN OF THIS MIGHTY THRONG.”

GRACE IS NOT GREASE, MY FRIENDS, YOU ‘TRYING YOUR BEST TO OVERCOME’ – GRACE IS GOD IN ACTION THROUGH YOU!! GRACE IS NOT GREASE, BUT THE GLORIOUS CONQUEST OF CHRIST OVER YES THE WORLD, YOUR OLD SIN NATURE, & SATAN HIMSELF! GRACE IS NOT “GUTTING IT UP” BUT LEARNING TO BE FINISHED WITH YOUR OLD SELF ALLOWING CHRIST IN YOU TO BE YOUR HOPE OF GLORY! IN ROMANS 8:24-39 PAUL ENLIGHTENS US & INSPIRES US!! HE SAID: “WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE; BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT HOPE (IT’S BEYOND PHYSICAL VISION – IT’S SPIRITUAL REALITY!). FOR WHAT A MAN SEES, WHY DOES HE YET HOPE FOR? BUT IF WE HAVE HOPE FOR THAT WE SEE NOT, THEN DO WE WITH PATIENCE (STEDFASTNESS) WAIT FOR IT.

LIKEWISE THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPS OUR INFIRMITIES; FOR WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT; BUT THE SPIRIT ITSELF MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US WITH GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED. & HE THAT SEARCHES THE HEART KNOWS WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE HE MAKES INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD. & WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW, HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN.

MOREOVER WHOM HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. MOREOVER WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE, THEM HE ALSO CALLED: & WHOM HE CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED; & WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED. WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN TO THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? HE THAT SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL, HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS? WHO SHALL LAY ANY THING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD’S ELECT? IT IS GOD THAT JUSTIFIES. WHO IS HE THAT CONDEMNS? IT IS CHRIST THAT DIED, YES, RATHER, THAT IS RISEN AGAIN, WHO IS EVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WHO ALSO MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US. WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? SHALL TRIBULATION,OR DISTRESS,OR PERSECUTION, OR FAMINE, OR NAKEDNESS, OR PERIL, OR SWORD?

AS IT IS WRITTEN, FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL THE DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER. BUT NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US. FOR I AM PERSUADED, THAT NEITHER DEATH, NOR LIFE, NOR ANGELS, NOR PRINCIPALITIES, NOR POWERS, NOR THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT, NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”

BUT, SADLY, ROMANS 8, THOUGH CLEAR ABOUT THE “SECURITY IN REPENTANT, FAITH-GRIPPED LIVES”, ROMANS 1 ALSO REVEALED ‘THE DALLIANCE DANCERS WITH SIN THAT DECEIVES’ & LEADS TO CONTINUED ALIENATION & A FOREVER SEPARATION FROM HOLY GOD, FROM THE SON, & FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT! REFLECT SERIOUSLY UPON ROMANS 1:18-32!! “FOR THE WRATH OF GOD IS REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL UNGODLINESS & UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MEN, WHO HOLD (OR SUPPRESS) THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS; BECAUSE THAT WHICH MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD IS MANIFEST IN THEM; FOR GOD REVEALED IT UNTO THEM (1 TIMOTHY 6!).

FOR THE INVISIBLE THINGS OF HIM FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER & GODHEAD; SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE: BECAUSE THAT, WHEN THEY KNEW GOD, THEY GLORIFIED HIM NOT AS GOD, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL; BUT BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS (SPECULATIONS), & THEIR FOOLISH HEART WAS DARKENED. PROFESSING TO BE WISE, THEY BECAME FOOLS, & CHANGED THE GLORY OF THE INCORRUPTIBLE GOD INTO AN IMAGE MADE LIKE TO CORRUPTIBLE MAN, & TO BIRDS, & FOUR-FOOTED BEASTS,& CREEPING THINGS. WHEREFORE GOD ALSO GAVE THEM UP TO UNCLEANNESS THROUGH THE LUSTS OF THEIR OWN HEARTS, TO DISHONOR THEIR OWN BODIES BETWEEN THEMSELVES: WHO CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE (‘YOU CAN SIN & NOT DIE’!), & WORSHIPPED & SERVED THE CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR, WHO IS BLESSED FOREVER. AMEN.

FOR THIS CAUSE GOD GAVE THEM UP UNTO VILE AFFECTIONS: FOR EVEN THEIR WOMEN DID CHANGE THE NATURAL USE INTO THAT WHICH IS AGAINST NATURE: & LIKEWISE ALSO THE MEN, LEAVING THE NATURAL USE OF THE WOMAN, BURNED IN THEIR LUST ONE TOWARD ANOTHER; MEN WITH MEN WORKING THAT WHICH IS UNSEEMLY, & RECEIVING IN THEMSELVES THAT RECOMPENCE OF THEIR ERROR WHICH WAS MEET (‘SIN PLANTED PRODUCES A SIN-HARVEST’!!).& EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT CONVENEIENT;

BEING FILLED WITH ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, FORNICATION, WICKEDNESS, COVETOUSNESS, MALICIOUSNESS; FULL OF ENVY, MURDER, DEBATE, DECEIT, MALIGNITY; WHISPERERS, BACKBITERS,HATERS OF GOD,DESPITEFUL,PROUD, BOASTERS, INVENTORS OF EVIL THINGS, DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, COVENANTBREAKERS, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, IMPLACABLE, UNMERCIFUL: WHO KNOWING THE JUDGMENT OF GOD, THAT THEY WHICH COMMIT SUCH THINGS ARE WORTHY OF DEATH, NOT ONLY DO THE SAME, BUT HAVE PLEASURE IN THEM THAT DO THEM.”

“A DALLIANCE WITH SIN”? OR: “ONE’S DESTINY IN & THROUGH CHRIST JESUS & GOD’S SAVING GRACE, MERCY, & LOVE?” HOW VERY CLEAR, ETERNALLY CLEAR, WAS PAUL WHEN IN GALATIANS 5:16-17 THE APOSTLE WROTE, “THIS I SAY THEN, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, & YOU SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH (OR OLD SIN NATURE). FOR THE FLESH LUSTS AGAINST THE SPIRIT, & THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH: & THESE ARE CONTRARY THE ONE TO THE OTHER: SO THAT YOU CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD”,THEN IDENTIFYING “THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT” IN VERSES 22-25 SAYING, “BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE: AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW. & THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH (DAILY!) WITH THE AFFECTIONS & LUSTS. IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO WALK IN THE SPIRIT.”

IN “THE AMERICAN HYMNAL” (P.211) IS A SONG BY P.P.BLISS ENTITLED “ALMOST PERSUADED”. IT SAYS: “ALMOST PERSUADED” NOW TO BELIEVE; “ALMOST PERSUADED” CHRIST TO RECEIVE; SEEMS NOW SOME SOUL TO SAY, “GO, SPIRIT, GO YOUR WAY, SOME MORE CONVENIENT DAY ON YOU I’LL CALL.

“ALMOST PERSUADED”, COME, COME TODAY; “ALMOST PERSUADED,” TURN NOT AWAY; JESUS INVITES YOU HERE, ANGELS ARE LINGERING NEAR, PRAYERS RISE FROM HEART SO DEAR, O WANDERER, COME.

“ALMOST PERSUADED,” HARVEST IS PAST! “ALMOST PERSUADED,” DOOM COMES AT LAST! “ALMOST CANNOT AVAIL; “ALMOST” IS BUT TO FAIL! SAD,SAD, THAT BITTER WAIL – “ALMOST – BUT LOST!”

IT WAS THOMAS a’KEMPIS WHO LONG AGO SAID, “WERE THE WORKS OF GOD READILY UNDERSTANDABLE BY HUMAN REASON, THEY WOULD BE NEITHER WONDERFUL NOR UNSPEAKABLE,” AND BECAUSE, YES, THEY ARE BEYOND ‘HUMAN REASONING’, WE MUST “REST” IN GOD’S DIVINE REVELATION OR UNVEILING OF TRUE SALVATION IN & THROUGH CHRIST’S BLOOD ATONEMENT & NOTHING ELSE, EXCEPT A REPENTANT, TRUSTING, FAITHFUL LIFE COMMITTED TO HONOR THE KING OF KINGS & THE LORD OF LORDS! IS THAT “YOU”?

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“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY!”

EPHESIANS 5:14

God says: “Awake, you who ‘SLEEP’, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light!”

Isn’t it amazing to you that the Holy Word of God is so filled with biblical Truth about those “choosing” to “live in the dark,” “sleepy-time lives”, totally unaware of their ‘fleshly destinies’? In Proverbs 6:4-5 the wise man wrote: “Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids. Deliver yourself like a gazelle from THE hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler (or ‘hunter’ who seeks to slay you!).” And then in Verses 6-11 the wise man continued, desiring to “wake us all up” from the “sleep” of spiritual death, alienation from God, incapable of personal deliverance from its powerful sentence of spiritual death – a ‘sluggard’ of spiritual inactivity, a ‘sluggard’ of perpetual spiritual sleep, a ‘sluggard’ of slothfulness and indifference to the “Holy Truths” of God, and, yes, even indifferent to His amazing love and grace and mercy, just satisfied to live in “the darkness of a deep spiritual sleep,” unconcerned about his void of spiritual life and faith and purpose, or its penalty!

So, Proverbs 6:6-15, declares so wisely, so convicted, “Wake up, go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, ( no Savior, no Redeemer, no Lord, no loving spiritual caretaker), overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? WHEN WILL YOU ARISE FROM YOUR SLEEP? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep – SO SHALL POVERTY (that’s spiritual poverty and spiritual bankruptcy!) COME ON YOU LIKE A PROWLER (one who comes to steal, like the devil!), AND ON YOUR NEED LIKE AN ARMED MAN (or robber or thief, yes, “the powers of darkness”!).”

Verses 12-15 then solemnly, seriously, and in convicting fashion, describes the end of a sleeping, spiritually negligent, self-serving individual, who resists his need of “spiritual awakening”: “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth (“that Bible may be what YOUR God says, but I don’t care!”); He winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points his fingers; Perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually (that’s ANYTHING THAT LEAVES GOD OUT OF ONE’S ‘MIXED-BAG-OF-LIFE CHOICES’!), he sows discord, (Opposition to eternal Truths). THEREFORE his calamity shall come suddenly; suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.”

Oh, but there is “hope that is eternal”! There can be, must be, if you let Him, an “awakening” from spiritual sleep and slumber, spiritual death, spiritual hopelessness, to the reality of the true, merciful, spiritual awakening in and through “Christ Jesus” alone!

In Joel 1:5 the word of the Lord had come to Joel: “Awake, you drunkards, and weep; and wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth.” Is this ‘literal’ speech or ‘metaphorical’? The ‘drunkards’ are ‘sinners separated from Holy God ‘intoxicated’ in unholy, unbiblical, un-redeeming truths! The ‘drunkards’ are ‘willful sinners’ intoxicated with the ‘devil’s brew’ of unbelief, rebellion, disobedience, self-centeredness, and purposely, willfully, so intoxicated with self, one has ‘no sense’ or ‘will’ or ‘desire’ to live for God! “IS IT EVIDENT IN SOME ‘MODERN-CHURCHES’? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT! But loving, merciful, caring, compassionate God takes on the mission to awake those who sleep, resurrect those who are spiritually dead, and by repentance toward Him and faith in Christ Jesus’ “finished work” at the Cross, the ‘dead’ can be, will be, have been “raised from spiritual death’ from the ‘slumber of the devil’ INTO THE REALITY OF THE SAVIOR’S MERCY,LOVE,&GRACE!!

Get ready! It’s going to be an interesting, awe-inspiring ‘journey’ from spiritual sleep to “awakened by the love, mercy, and grace of GoD”!! FIRST! LET’S LOOK AT THE REALITY OF GODLESS MEN/WOMEN,TEENS/CHILDREN, WHO “ARE” CAPTURED IN BIRTH BY THE REALITY OF A COVETED SIN-NATURE, ‘STRIVING’ TO “LIVE”, BUT WITHOUT HOLY GOD! GOD HAD NO DESIRE IN BIRTHING MEN WITH NO “FREE WILL” because He knew it’s consequences, “BUT THE ‘FREE WILL” OF ‘FLESH’ had to be because Holy God was not interested in seeing men & women as automatic robots”, and certainly, natural birth WAS & IS NOT “LIFE IN THE SPIRIT OF HOLY GOD”! THIS IS WHY JESUS CONFRONTED ‘REALITY’ OF THOSE SEPARATED FROM GOD WHEN HE ‘MENTIONED’ IN JOHN 1:13 ABOUT THOSE ‘BORN NOT OF SPIRITUAL BLOOD BUT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH’, THE WILL OF FALLEN MANKIND!

IN ACTS 7:51 STEPHEN HAD BEEN CALLED BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THEY HAD ABOUT HIS “OPEN CHRISTIAN WITNESS” – THEY WERE READY TO KILL HIM! HAVING BEEN THREATENED, HE SAID TO THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS & ISRAELI LEADERS, “YOU STIFFNECKED & UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART & EARS, YOU DO ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT: AS YOUR FATHERS DID, SO DO YOU.”+ (DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT “RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS” WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE SAVIOR AS LORD, BIRTHS A GREATER ‘BONDAGE’, A STRONGER ‘RELIGIOUS PRIDE’ THAT CRUCIFIED KING JESUS, & MULTIPLIES DEEPER DECEPTION & RESENTMENT OF TRUTH ABOUT “TRUSTING” WHEN THEY’RE SO DEVOTED TO THEIR ‘RELIGIOUS TRYING’, TO THE POINT THAT WHEN KING JESUS SAID, “FORSAKE ALL & FOLLOW ME”, THE UNBELIEVERS & RELIGIOUS PRETENDERS UNITED TO SEE THAT HE, JESUS, WAS CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS, FAILING TO UNDERSTAND ‘THE CROSS’ WAS GOD’S PLAN, BUT THEIR EMBITTERED ‘RELIGIOUS HEARTS’ & SPIRITUALLY ‘BRAIN-DEAD MINDS’ ACTUALLY WAS “USED” BY HOLY GOD TO CARRY OUT HIS ETERNAL PLAN OF “BLOOD REDEMPTION” THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF HIS OWN SON ON CALVARY’S CROSS!

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH ! THE NATURAL MAN, UNREDEEMED CAN SIN, UNAWARE IT EXPOSES THEIR ‘SPIRITUAL DEATH’! SIN-NATURES “DO NOT NATURALLY BIRTH ‘SAINTS’, BUT BIRTHS SINNERS UNDER SATAN’S MANAGEMENT CONTROL, A LOST WORLD’S DEFENCELESS DECEIT, &, YES, THE SINNER’S ‘OPINION’ THAT ‘SIN DOESN’T PRODUCE DEATH –IT’S FUN’, BUT HOLY GOD OVERSEES & SETTLES THE ETERNAL DESTINY OF THE UNRESPONSE TO HIS LOVE & GRACE AS BEFORE HIS JUDGMENT SEAT THEY DID, DO, & WILL STAND BEFORE HIM AS HOLY GOD ISSUES FOR ALL, SINFUL OR SINLESS, WORLDLY OR HEAVENLY, PERSONAL PERSUASION OR PRINCE OF PEACE’S PRESENCE IN THE REPENTANT, REDEEMED, RECONCILED, REWARDED, & RELEASED “TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD” WHO “GO OUT TO SHARE HIS GOOD NEWS OF ETERNAL SALVATION IN & THROUGH CHRIST’S BLOOD SACRIFICE & THE FREE GIFT OF RECONCILIATION IS GRANTED”!

SECOND, LET’S EXAMINE THAT “FREE GIFT” & HOW “HE” SHOULD INSPIRE OUR DAILY WALK OF “CHRIST IN US OUR HOPE OF GLORY”! IN THE “ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS QUOTATIONS” (P183) IS A QUOTE BY ST. PATRICK (SIGERSON,tr.), THAT SAYS: “GOD’S MIGHT TO DIRECT ME, GOD’S POWER TO PROTECT ME, GOD’S WISDOM FOR LEARNING, GOD’S EYE FOR DISCERNING, GOD’S EAR FOR HEARING, GOD’S WORD FOR MY CLEARING.”

IN MICAH 7:1-7,&18-19! THE PROPHET SAID: “WOE IS ME! FOR I AM AS WHEN THEY HAVE GATHERED THE SUMMER FRUITS,AS THE GRAPE-GLEANINGS OF THE VINTAGE:THERE IS NO CLUSTER TO EAT:MY SOUL DESIRED THE FIRSTRIPE FRUIT. THE GOOD MAN IS PERISHED OUT OF THE EARTH (“THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH”!); & THERE IS NONE UPRIGHT AMONG MEN:THEY ALL LIE IN WAIT FOR BLOOD;THEY HUNT EVERY MAN HIS BROTHER WITH A NET.

THAT THEY MAY DO EVIL WITH BOTH HANDS EARNESTLY, THE PRINCE ASKS, & THE JUDGE ASKS FOR A REWARD; & THE GREAT MAN, HE UTTERS HIS MISCHIEVOUS DESIRE:SO THEY WRAP IT UP. THE BEST OF THEM IS AS A BRIER:THE MOST UPRIGHT IS SHARPER THAN A THORN HEDGE: THE DAY OF THEIR WATCHMEN & THEIR VISITATION COMES;NOW SHALL BE THEIR PERPLEXITY. TRUST YOU NOT IN A FRIEND,PUT YOU NOT CONFIDENCE IN A GUIDE:KEEP THE DOORS OF YOUR MOUTH FROM HER THAT LIES IN YOUR BOSOM.

FOR THE SON DISHONORS THE FATHER, THE DAUGHTER RISES UP AGAINST HER MOTHER, THE DAUGHTER IN LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER IN LAW; A MAN’S ENEMIES ARE THE MEN OF HIS OWN HOUSE. THEREFORE I WILL LOOK UNTO THE LORD; I WILL WAIT FOR THE GOD OF MY SALVATION:MY GOD WILL HEAR ME.”

THEN IN VERSES 18-19 THE PROPHET EXPLAINS! “WHO IS A GOD LIKE UNTO ‘YOU’, “HE” PARDONS INIQUITY, & PASSES BY THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE REMNANT OF “HIS” HERITAGE? HE RETAINS NOT HIS ANGER FOREVER, BECAUSE “HE” DELIGHTS IN MERCY. HE WILL TURN AGAIN, HE WILL HAVE COMPASSION UPON US;HE WILL SUBDUE OUR INIQUITIES; & HE WILL CAST ALL THEIR SINS INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.” THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA? THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA OF GOD’S FORGETFULNESS? THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS REALITY FOR SINNERS WHO REPENT & “TURN”, FULLY SURRENDERING TO CHRIST’S BLOOD ATONEMENT, HIS FORGIVENESS, & BECAUSE YOU TRULY REPENTED, HE MAKES YOUR BODY ,HEART, & SPIRIT, INTO A “NEW HABITATION” THAT BECOMES HIS TEMPLE OF EARTHLY RESIDENCE, NEVER TO LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US! GLORY!

“AWAKE YOU WHO SLEEP! ARISE FROM THE DEAD,& CHRIST JESUS WILL GIVE YOU LIGHT!” THERE MUST BE IN THE 21^ST CENTURY ANOTHER GREAT “SPIRITUAL AWAKENING” WHERE THE “LIGHT OF CHRIST JESUS IN REPENTANT, BORN-AGAIN HEARTS & MINDS” REVEALS HIS MISSION THROUGH THEM AS “WITNESSES FAITHFULLY TO NEEDY, UNSAVED, SEPARATED-FROM-GOD PEOPLE, UNREDEEMED, WHO MUST BE RECONCILED TO HIM FOR HEAVENLY GLORY TO “REST” IN THEM & THROUGH THEM, BEING HIS “HOLY TEMPLES” OF ETERNALLY ABIDING PRESENCE”!

THIRD, KNOWING CHRIST JESUS GIVES ‘LIGHT’, DOES THAT INCLUDE THE NECESSITY OF GRASPING THE UNDERSTANDING OF TRUE SPIRITUAL GROWTH & MATURITY IN HONORING CHRIST, OBEYING CHRIST, & YES SHARING CHRIST BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS OF ONE’S CHURCH? JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 4:4 THAT, “IT IS WRITTEN, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY (PHYSICAL) BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.” SO “EATING BREAD ALONE, FOR MY ENJOYMENT & SATISFACTION”, BUT IGNORING THE STARVING, EMPTY HEARTS & MINDS OF THE “LOST”, ALIENATED FROM GOD, IN NEED OF CHRIST’S “BLOOD REDEMPTION”, BUT YOU LOCK IT & THE NEEDY IN THE SEA OF FORGETFULNESS & “LET THE WORLD AROUND YOU “GO TO HELL”?

FOURTH, AS A “FOLLOWER OF CHRIST”, ARE YOU COMMITTED, NOT ONLY TO “FAITH”, BUT ALSO “OBEDIENCE”? IF YOU’RE A “TRUE FOLLOWER” OF CHRIST, IF HE SAID & SAYS, MATTHEW 4:19, “FOLLOW ME & I WILL MAKE YOU ‘FISHERS OF MEN.’ IN PROVERBS 11:30 WE READ, “THE FRUIT OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS A TREE OF LIFE; & HE THAT WINS SOULS IS WISE.” EVEN THE PROPHET DANIEL HAD A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MINISTRY OF MEN & WOMEN ‘RECONCILED TO GOD’! HE SAID, IN DANIEL 12:3, “AND THEY THAT BE WISE SHALL SHINE AS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE FIRMAMENT; & THEY THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AS THE STARS FOR EVER & EVER!” TELL ME! “HOW’S YOUR TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU WHO LIVE APART FROM RECONCILED TO GOD, RE-BORN, & ‘SHINING’ ON OTHERS THE PATH OF “BLOOD REDEMPTION”?

I CLOSE THIS PARTICULAR TEACHING WITH THE WORDS OF AN OLD HYMN ENTITLED “RISE UP,O MEN OF GOD”, (FOUND IN THE 1940 PUBLICATION OF “THE BROADMAN HYMNAL,” BY BROADMAN PRESS, NASHVILLE, TENN.). IT SAYS: “RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD! HAVE DONE WITH LESSER THINGS; GIVE HEART & MIND & SOUL & STRENGTH TO SERVE THE KING OF KINGS.

RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD! HIS KINGDOM TARRIES LONG; BRING IN THE DAY OF BROTHERHOOD AND END THE NIGHT OF WRONG.

RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD! THE CHURCH FOR YOU DOTH WAIT, HER STRENGTH UNEQUAL TO HER TASK; RISE UP, & MAKE HER GREAT!

LIFT HIGH THE CROSS OF CHRIST! TREAD WHERE HIS FEET HAVE TROD; AS BROTHERS OF “THE SON OF MAN”, RISE UP, O MEN OF GOD!”

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY”? IS IT ‘REAL’ FOR “YOU”? IF ‘YOU’ ARE YIELDED TO THE KING OF KINGS & LORD OF LORDS, ARE “YOU” OBEDIENT OR COMPLACENT? COMPLACENT? “SATISFIED IN ONE’S SELF, UNCONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HOLY GOD HAS TO SAY,INDIFFERENT, & EVEN UNCONCERNED ABOUT GOD’S MISSION THROUGH YOU AS A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IN BEING “HIS WITNESSES” TO UNREDEEMED, INDIFFERENT, UNCONCERNED ‘FOLKS’ ABOUT THEM BEING RECONCILED TO GOD? ARE “YOU” OBEDIENT TO THE “CALL”, “GO & SHARE THE GOSPEL!”

ONE MORE HYMN OF “CHALLENGE” FROM THE SAME OLD HYMNAL,P.187! IT’S ENTITLED, “O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED”! IT SAYS: “O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED TO SERVE YOU TO THE END; BE THOU FOREVER NEAR ME, MY MASTER & MY FRIEND; I SHALL NOT FEAR THE BATTLE IF YOU ARE BY MY SIDE, NOR WANDER FROM THE PATHWAY IF YOU WILL BE MY GUIDE.

O LET ME FEEL YOU NEAR ME, THE WORLD IS EVER NEAR; I SEE THE SIGHTS THAT DAZZLE, THE TEMPTING SOUNDS I HEAR:MY FOES ARE EVER NEAR ME, AROUND ME & WITHIN; BUT, JESUS, DRAW YOU NEARER, & SHIELD MY SOUL FROM SIN.

O JESUS, YOU HAVE PROMISED TO ALL WHO FOLLOW THEE THAT WHERE YOU ARE IN GLORY THERE SHALL YOUR SERVANT BE; AND, JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED TO SERVE YOU TO THE END; O GIVE ME GRACE TO FOLLOW MY MASTER & MY FRIEND.” ARE YOU A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, AVAILABLE TO SHARE HIS LIFE, EXTEND HIS LIFE, & EXPRESS HIS LOVE TO OTHERS?

BOOK OUTLINE OR CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: “WAGES OF SIN OR GIFTS OF GOD?”

CHAPTER TWO: “FAITHLESS ASSAULTS OR FAITHFUL ASPIRATIONS?”

CHAPTER THREE: “OPTIONAL EXPRESSIONS OF LIFE, HUMAN OR DIVINE, FLESHLY OR SPIRITUAL, TEMPORARY OR ETERNAL?”

CHAPTER FOUR: “MOUNTAIN PRAYERS OR MOUNTAINOUS PRTIVILEGES?”

CHAPTER FIVE: “IT IS DONE – “IT IS FINISHED”

CHAPTER SIX: “THE ANGELIC SONGS OF THE REDEEMED”

CHAPTER SEVEN: “THE DIVINE MIRACLE OF A TRANSFORMED MIND”

CHAPTER EIGHT: “CONSIDERING A WORLD OF ABSURDITIES”

CHAPTER NINE: “FAITHFULNESS OR DISTRESSING DISGUISES?”

CHAPTER TEN: “WHEN MERCY IS MERCILESS BIRTHING FATAL FORGETFULNESS”

CHAPTER ELEVEN: “GOD AND GOVERNMENT”

CHAPTER TWELVE: “WORLD PHILOSOPHERS OR WILLFUL PROMOTION BY GOD?”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: “SUICIDE A SIGN OF HOPELESSNESS IN CHRIST – A SIGN OF HELPLESSNESS IN ONE’S SELF”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: “NATIONAL DAY OF REASONING OR NATIONAL AGELESS RECEPTION OF GOD’S REVELATION, REACHING OUT TO HIM, AND RESTING IN HIS BLOOD REDEMPTION”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: “PRAYER BANKRUPTCY OR PRAYER BLESSINGS?”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: “PIERCING THE DRAGON – PIERCINGS BY HIM OR PIERCING HIM?”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: “THE PRICELESS PURPOSE – A DIVINE AWAKENING NECESSITY!”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: “THE CALL OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP – THE CALL TO DEATH!”

CHAPTER NINETEEN: “CHAINED” – A SUPERNATURAL AWARENESS AND BLESSING!”

CHAPTER TWENTY: “AWARENESS AND APPROPRIATION OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: “FLESHLY DESIRES AND FLESHLY INTERPRETATIONS OR THE FULL COUNSEL OF GOD?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: “AMIABLE REBELS OR ANOINTED RULERS?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: “AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE MOMENT OF TRUTH?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: “AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE SHOCK OF THE DESTINY OF DECEPTION AND DELUSION!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: “AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? ENDURING THROUGH OUR FAILURES, FIRES, AND FIGHTS!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: “AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: “AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE KINGLY REIGN OF CHRIST!”

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER ONE

“WAGES OF SIN OR GIFTS OF GOD?”

The Apostle Paul was inspired by the Spirit of Holy God to write an awe-inspiring word from Him in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 when he said: “For though we walk in the flesh (As “redeemed” human beings by “the blood of the Lamb”), we do not war (in the spiritual warfare of ‘flesh’ against Spirit, deceit against Truth, or sinful nature against the divine nature) according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience (in ourselves!) when your obedience (to Jesus) is fulfilled.” What an awesome Word and serious choices the merciful God gives to us: “Our ways or His Way?”, “the ‘flesh’, or the devil’s lies, or the ‘sin-nature’s deceit’, OR Christ Jesus declaring, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but through Me”?

Are you unaware or oblivious to the eternal truth that (Romans 6:23), “the wages of sin IS DEATH, but the GIFT OF GOD is eternal life IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”? The Apostle Paul sent a powerful, convicting word to the Ephesians when in his Ephesian epistle he wrote: [Ephesians 4:17-24],

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, (unbelievers!), in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the BLINDNESS of their heart; who, being past feeling (of anything or anyone that relates to redemption!), having given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But you have not so learned Christ, IF indeed you have heard of Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth IS IN JESUS (only): that you (must) put off, concerning your former conduct, ‘the old man’ (the old ‘Adam,” the old sin-nature), which GROWS corrupt because of the ‘deceitful lusts’, and BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND (and heart), and that YOU PUT ON THE NEW MAN WHICH WAS CREATED ACCORDING TO GOD, in true righteousness and holiness.”

“The wages of sin”? Sin is sorrow without relief or release, but the love, grace, and mercy of God “in Christ” IS freedom from sin, with the eternal result of the fullness of His Indwelling Presence!

Sin is ‘separation from God, not an open door to Him; the ‘sin-nature’ is NOT ‘remind-full’ of divine pleasure and eternal intent, but ‘satisfying that old sin-nature’, ‘satisfying that rabid-dog nature’ of sin and death birthed by Satan himself!

Sin? It’s one’s declaration of independence from God and an insane declaration of allegiance to one’s old sin nature and separation from God without an ounce of remorse, guilt, or even awareness of separation from Him!

Sin? It’s like William Allingham’s explanation in his “Blackberries” writing: “Sin we have explained away; unluckily, the sinners stay,” because an unredeemed, ‘separated from God’ sin nature has no awareness of the gulf, the grip, the devastation of separation from Him!

Did Thomas Carlyle nail it when he said: “The deadliest sins were the consciousness of no sin.” Most unbelievers are completely unaware that their sin-nature and constant sins have separated them from God and from His love, grace, mercy, Truth, and Redemption’s plan, provision, and present ‘offering’: “The Lamb’s shed blood at Calvary in their place!”

Sin and the old sin-nature? Didn’t we read from Paul in 2 Corinthians 10 about “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”? And be assured: Flesh effort against one’s sin nature IS nothing more than vain imagination and mind-full deception! Only Christ Jesus, through His sacrificial death in our place, delivers from one’s sin stronghold, the human heart, yes, alienated and separated from Holy God!

Your life without Christ is like an old, ancient city with high, thick, strong walls of self-sufficiency, protected by strong, self-shaped bricks, stones, and ramparts that are firmly rooted in opposition to the will, the purposes, the plan of God, and the ‘door’ to reconciliation- the ‘one door’-, determined with Sinatra, “It’s my way!”

Sin? Does the Holy Word of God declare “all unrighteousness is sin”, meaning ‘only’ the righteousness of Christ, in us, gains approval from Holy God? The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 64:5-7, declared wisely, “You (God) meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned – in these ways we continue; and we need to be saved. But we all are like an unclean thing, and all our (fleshly) righteousnesses are like filthy rags (or ‘menstrual’ cycles!); we ALL fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities.” So true! But only half the story!

The other half of the story? 2 Corinthians 5:21 announces: “For He (Holy God the Father) made Him (Christ Jesus the Son) who knew no sin to BE SIN FOR US, that we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.”

Do you “see” the biblical significance of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, and verses 9-10? “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort WITH WHICH OURSELVES ARE COMFORTED BY GOD. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast (even if it is ‘your’ sufferings in temptations or, yes, willful sins?), because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also YOU WILL PARTAKE OF THE CONSOLATION (The Savior’s forgiveness through His shed blood for your sins?). Verses 9-10, Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and (still will, desires &) does deliver us…”!

I was reading Gil Strickland’s “Marketplace” Chaplain’s Edition, (Summer 2016). Gil is the founder of “Marketplace Ministries”, and about 60 years ago was a cheer-leader or Yell Leader at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where I was a running back and defensive safety when he “cheered” us on to some great seasons, especially when we went to the Sugar Bowl, January, 1957. One of his associates, Jason Brown, had an article entitled “Chaplain Covering”, introducing me to Martin of Tours.

His article says: “Martin of Tours was born about 316 A.D. to a pagan family in Pannonia, a Roman Province. He became a Roman soldier and one day was passing by the gates of Amiens in Gaul, today’s France, on a very bitter, winter’s day.

Martin came across a beggar who was freezing by the side of the road. Several others on horseback simply passed by without rendering assistance. Martin was MOVED WITH COMPASSION and decided to help. He took the one valuable possession he owned, his cape (his cloak ‘covering’), cut it in half with his sword and gave it to the man in need.

Later that night Martin had a dream in which he came to realize the beggar was Christ Himself. That experience impacted Martin so much he decided to follow the Christian faith and was later baptized by Bishop St.Hillary. Martin left the army to devote himself to the church and later became Bishop of Tours and even founded a monastery in Eastern Europe.”

How dramatic! Yet, many have spiritual encounters but fail in the reception of and commitment to “relationship”, yes, union with the Redeemer through repentance toward God and full faith in Christ Jesus’ “Blood Atonement” at the Cross!

I was awed when I read from Gil’s magazine “The Chaplains’ Prayer”, out of “Devotional Prayers” by Henry Thornton [Edited and Introduced by James S. Bell, Moody Press – Chicago, Ill.]. It says: “Make us patient and contented, kind and loving, humble and spiritually minded. We pray you also to make us diligent and useful in the world in which you have placed us. May we not misspend our time, nor neglect any opportunity of doing good, but be willing daily to deny ourselves, that we may more abundantly minister to the various wants of others. We ask you O Lord, to give unto each of us grace to know the several duties to which we are called, and to be both faithful and zealous in the performance of them.”

Sin and its awareness in the sinners’ hearts? Oh, sometimes there are those who have no adverse, angry reactions to the truth of their sinfulness – they’ll acknowledge it but without any concern of “rescue” from the bondage of their sinful state. Others are shocked: “I’m a sinner, I’m under the judgment of God? If I don’t repent, I’m bound for Hell?” And they begin to cry out for mercy! Still others will willfully acknowledge their sinful state, deciding, “Maybe later I’ll call for “The Great Physician” to heal my sin-sickness’, BUT, not now!”

In Matthew 18:1-11 we find “HOPE” through ‘child-like faith’, not brainless and heartless souls and sin-bound supporters of spiritual darkness! It says: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted (‘born-again’?) and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” Oh!

But Jesus went on: Verses 6-11, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense[denials, rejections, accusations against “blood redemption”] comes!

If your ‘hand’ or ‘foot’ causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter life lame or maimed, rather than two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” [Wrestle with that!].

Sin? The sin-nature is death? Sin-consequence is eternal separation from God, and the eternal result of allegiance to one’s sin-nature, ‘a residence in Hell and ‘hell-fire’ forever’? I love Edwin Hubbell Chapin’s statement: [From Frank Mead’s “The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations”, [Fleming H. Revell Company, Westwood, New Jersey, Copyright MCMLXV],

“The worst effect of sin is within, and is manifest in poverty {spiritual poverty], and pain, and bodily defacement, but in the discrowned faculties, the unworthy love, the low ideal, the brutalized and enslaved spirit”. – And that ‘enslaved spirit’ is constantly brutalized by Satan himself, deepening, darkening, and distancing the “sinner” further and further away from Holy, Loving, Merciful, Caring God – the “sinners” only hope!

“Sin? AND ITS CONSEQUENCES”? Sin separates one from the love and mercy of God! The ‘sinner’s life’ is eternal separation from Holy God apart from “blood redemption” in Christ, eternal separation from “forgiveness” and “reconciliation”, eternal separation from His divine intent – “vessels of Holy Presence” and “vessels of Holy Purpose” and “Vessels of Holy Ghost Power” honoring, revealing, blessing through them the “Name above All Names – the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ”!

Proverbs 14:9-19 IS a powerful ‘warning’! “Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor. [The ‘upright’? “Those who ‘LOOK UP’ to God with repentant hearts and faithful trust?”]. The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy (because he knows its fleeting, false joys, with no lasting fulfillment?). The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.

There is a way that “seems” right to a man (of ‘faithlessness’) but its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above (‘himself’).

The simple believes (trusts in, relies upon, adheres to) every (revealed) word (of the ‘fallen’, even the devil himself!), but the prudent (the wise) considers well his steps (or, are they in “the footsteps of Christ alone”?). A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident. A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intentions is hated.

The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil will bow before the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.”

Where do you “stand” RIGHT NOW? In the “ways” of sinners or “THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, THAT IS IN CHRIST ALONE”? Let’s examine, research, and “rest” in “The Gifts of God”! In Luke 11:9-13 Jesus declared: “So I SAY TO YOU, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who ASKS receives, and he who SEEKS finds, and to him who KNOCKS it will be opened.

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

In Acts 26:12-18 Paul recounted his encounter with the Resurrected Christ and Jesus’ explanation and invitation to His eternal presence, provisions, and plans for every true ‘born-again’ disciple “in Christ”! Paul said, While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I AM Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you FOR THIS PURPOSE, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the ‘Jewish” people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins AND an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

WHAT AN AWESOME DECLARATION! But, of course, even many “professing believers” think and state: “Well, that was for Paul, but it’s just not true of ‘all believers’!” And I say, “phony bologna”!! “In Christ”, YOU receive “forgiveness” of sins and YOU receive His “divine commission” – “I DELIVER YOU, and I SEND YOU as a minister and a witness both of the things you’ve seen and “of the things, through My Word, that I will yet reveal TO YOU!” Yes, YOU, disciple of Christ!

Do you think this is why Jesus said what He did in John 3:20-21? “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he WHO DOES THE TRUTH COMES TO THE LIGHT, that his deeds may be clearly seen, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DONE IN GOD”! Is that what Paul spoke about when in Ephesians 2:10 he declared: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Before Christ’s ascension, in Luke 24:46-49, the Resurrected Christ said to His disciples then and now: “Thus it is written, and thus it was NECESSARY for the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day, AND THAT repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And YOU are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Forgiveness of sins! Resurrection Life NOW “in Christ”! THE divine commission! “You shall be My witnesses!” Really? How many “church-sitters” see themselves as ‘holy witnesses’ anointed by the Spirit to willfully, purposefully, faithfully, regularly, share their testimonies with others?

Do you remember “the song of the redeemed” out of Revelation 9b-10? “..For You (“LAMB OF GOD”) were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth,” – that’s where we are: on the earth, with His divine commission! “My witnesses, extending My kingdom, expressing My love, and proving My power!”

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, reconciled to God, birthed as “new creations”, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses, growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, examining, unveiling His eternal intent through us, and, more and more, ‘leaning not to our own understanding, but in all our ways, giving Him His rightful place’ as sovereign and sure in us and through us!

Anybody who has read any of my writings the last twenty-thirty years knows that I am a ‘fan’ of Oswald Chambers and his writings in “My Utmost For His Highest”, SO, [pps. 93-94], he wrote about Proverbs 29:18, (R.V.), “Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint,” or, Holman’s Study Bible, the NKJV Edition, of the same Verse, “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint”, and indulge in disobedience rather than obedience to be His witnesses!

In seeking to close this first chapter, this initial chapter, I was reminded, impressed, and urged by the Holy Spirit to include 2 Peter 3:11-18 where Peter challenged disciples then and now: “Therefore, since all these things (earthly, fleshly, manly indulgences, rules, and regulations) will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, (maybe “the high, unholy thoughts of godless men”?), and the elements (of sinful intent?) WILL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, and I had to ask, “Lord, is this ‘future’, like some think, or, presently,, even in the 21^st Century, are You “dissolving what needs to be dissolved”, are You ‘melting’ what needs to be melted, and are You, with greater intensity and determination, making ‘waves’, causing ‘storms’, or simply being Yourself as the “storm-stopper”, the “Great Awakener”, the “Unceasing Redeemer”, intent on “BEING YOURSELF”?!?

That’s the Savior still being the Savior! That’s the Redeemer still being the Redeemer! That’s the Promised Messiah still coming, still witnessing, still laying down His life ‘through us’, and willfully birthing new disciples who become available ‘vessels’, and He keeps on doing what He came to do, just leaping forward to the 21^st Century, being Himself, and calling out new instruments, new players, new choruses, new “born-agains”, and anointing them in the heavenly Spirit, the Holy Word, and the eternal mission!

Yes, men of “new-birth” reality, men of residence in the Living Word, men anointed in the Spirit, many consumed with His holiness, His greatness, His majestic wonderment, with minds and hearts and wills one with the message of God’s grace, mercy, and love, dead to self but alive in Him, dead to fleshly ambitions but consumed with passion in loving and saving and delivering a ‘Hell-bent’ rebellious world, and ushering in the Kingdom of God on earth!

“GOD, HELP US IN THE 21^st CENTURY! WE NEED YOUR NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH, HERE, NOW, WHERE CHRIST REIGNS, TO YOUR HONOR, YOUR GLORY, AND YOUR PRAISE!”

CHAPTER TWO

“FAITHLESS ASSAULTS OR FAITHFUL ASPIRATIONS?”

An assault is defined as a violent attack with the intent of doing ultimate harm or serious damage, and certainly the opposition against Christ Jesus was intended to end His “assertions”, but three days after His crucifixion there was “The Resurrection”, eternally cementing the “Faithful Aspirations” of reconciliation, restoration, re-birth, and eternal recovery!

In the midst of hyperbolic exaggerations relating to “Redemptive Faith”, there are the true “soldiers of the Cross” who stand firm and faithful in the midst of humanity’s assaults against “Holy Truth”! In fact, across America today, whether in institutionalized universities or in the streets of illegal intruders or in the hearts and minds of truly ‘faithless’ people, you find a strong, vocal, demonic opposition to Eternal Truth.

Certainly you see and sense those clouds of terror, clouds of triviality, clouds of fleshly treason against the One True Living God, with God’s calling to the servants of “Faithful Aspirations” to stand firm, faithful, and fully clothed in His garments of true salvation, healing, and deliverance!

It’s the day and time and opportunity of remaining faithful in the very center of ‘faithless opposition’, living in submission and obedience to the King of kings and Lord of lords, or choosing, much like a majority of religious pretenders today, to live as consumers or confessors of religious fabrications, rather than converted and re-born in the “dress” of Eternal Truth in Christ!

Are you familiar with the word ‘pretense’? The Random House College Dictionary of 1975, by Random House,Inc., describes ‘pretense’ as “feigning, make-believe, a false show of something, insincere or false profession”, as one who professes but never possesses the reality of “new birth, born-again,” or truly “redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,” or biblical “At-One-Ment” with God Himself!

It was so interesting that my wife, Sue, shared with me, I believe, a “Facebook” post from a Dave Brat, dated February 20, 2016, about Judge Antonin Scalia, former Supreme Court justice who died sometime during the past six months to a year ago (?) – unsure. Brat said of Scalia, “He was a profound thinker with a simple faith, who urged Christians to live fearlessly.” His quote by Judge Scalia, “God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools… and He has not been disappointed…If I have brought any message today, it is this: ‘Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.’” [That’s Justice Antonin Scalia, 1936-2016.].

“Faithless Assaults” are unmerciful, untruthful, unfounded, and sadly reveal how far and to what extent unbelief blinds, corrupts, and poisons many minds and hearts. “Faithless Assaults” are the “bad fruits” of godless lives, insulated through demonic activity, and though godless lives are normal, natural, and necessary, for them, in firmly establishing godless foundations to lives, families, the ‘fellowship of the fallen’, and their futures, they live and promote boisterously, “Who needs God?”, as their declaration of independence!

A “sophisticated world” today? But my question is, ‘has it ever changed’? I hate to be the one to tell you, but it’s been a “sophisticated world” from Adam and Eve to our senseless world today in most nations and peoples with both perilous times and perilous people who firmly believe they don’t need a “savior”! Paul described fallen humanity in his day and ours when in 2 Timothy 3:1-7 he wrote:

“But know this, that in the last days [of historic Judaism] perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Just how descriptive do you find those words of ‘yesterday’ for Today? Are there “Faithless Assaults” that are operative today across this modern world? Sadly, some believers see the “gift of salvation” as the “road of deliverance” from any trouble, torment, or even testing, when our Lord clearly said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” And, in Psalm 50:15, wise David wrote of Holy God testifying to His own people, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

“Faithless Assaults” are troubles that can lead to torments that become testings as to whether or not we live in biblical trust or simply “try your best to overcome.” I’m sure this is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:11-12, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places.”

“Faithless Assaults”? I find Paul’s writings in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 so illuminating as to a believer’s wrestling with “thorns in the flesh.” He said, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

But, as in Jesus’ day, so even today, He still says: Matthew 17:17, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” And you’ll remember the context: “And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the child was cured from that very hour.”

Sadly, a modern-day culture thrives on faithlessness, perversity, and satisfaction with the deplorable, the darkened, the demonic, and the devil himself! What was true in Timothy’s day is just as true today when we hear Paul instructing Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Spirit [the Holy Spirit] expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…”

But it’s not only a modern-day culture in the world that experiences “faithless assaults” – it includes the “church-world”! In Acts 20:25-30 Paul said, “And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I KNOW THIS, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

And “many savage wolves” are still devouring, deceiving, and destroying human lives, both in the natural realm and the spiritual realm! Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in her writing entitled “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” [J.E.Beale, Book Department, The Fancy Fair, Bournemouthe], wrote “The Soul’s Travailling. And as I read Browning, I wondered if her heart truly broke over “the mournful breath we name our souls! (Self-spoilt!), ‘traveling vainly’ to the grave”!

Psalm 2 begins with what I personally entitled “The Realness of Rebellion.” Verses 1-3 says, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” And the next verse 4, speaks of “The Rareness of Laughter,”, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision;” oh, but then Verses 5-6, God speaks of “His Revelation of Compassion”, “Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion,” with Verses 7-9 upholding “The Richness of Relationship and The Declaration of Sonship” with His ‘birthed followers’! “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.” And Holy God closed out His commissioning in Verses 10-12!

“Now therefore, be wise (“rest in His Light, His Word, His instructions”), O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are those who put their trust in Him.”

Are you aware that Christless, faithless, rebellious lives, though vocal in “faithless assaults,” will one day stand before Holy God at the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of their “faithless assaults”? In Romans 14:9-12 Paul wrote: “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all attend before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God."

In fact, in Matthew 7:21-23 the Lord Jesus declared, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Let your world know it, let your family and friends know it, let your neighbors know it: “Accounting Day before the Lord Jesus for every human being is clearly announced: Judgment Day has come – were you one of faithless assaults or the faithful aspiration of “complete in Christ alone”?”

No more faithless assaults, but now, commitment, surrender, repentance and faith in Christ’s finished work, and our lives now offered as lives of faithful aspiration in what He did for us, in our place, suffering, bleeding, dying, then resurrected to the glory of Holy God, because death could not defeat Him, death could not destroy Him, death could not separate Him from Holy God, which, no doubt, is why Paul asked: “Death where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”

I hate to be the one to tell you, but B.B. McKinney’s hymn, back in the 1920’s about “The Wayfaring Pilgrim” was intended for “good”, but overlooked the “Lord’s finished work” in all true, born-again, Spirit-filled, divinely-commissioned witnesses!

I’m not “poor” – I’ve been ‘enriched’ with “the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ”! I’m not a “way-faring pilgrim” – I’m a “blood-bought, heavenly birthed son or daughter of the eternal family of God – now, not ‘someday’, now,” not in ‘the sweet by and by’! I’ve been ‘crowned’ and sovereignly ‘commissioned’ NOW – not when I get to heaven! It’s not ‘when I die, I drop the cross of self-denial’ – when I repent, I have already accepted ‘crucified with Christ’, finished with the “old man of sin in me” NOW, not “in the sweet by and by”!

I’ve “read my title clear” and ‘already, in Christ’, I’ve “bid farewell to every fear”, and Now, I rejoice in His “finished work”! I have been “re-born”, I have been “in-dwelt by His Resurrection Life”, I have been ‘indwelt by His Holy Spirit’, I have been anointed in His fruit, His gifting, His promises, and I live in “the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ” NOW!

What did Jude write in Jude 24-25? So interesting, so illuminating, so inspiring! “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” But especially Verse 1 where Jude said: “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Christ Jesus.”

And I want you to know that I personally was inspired and enriched by the Holman Study Bible editors who defined in their introduction to the Book of Jude the “Circumstances of Writing”: They said, “Jude called himself ‘a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” (v.1). The James to whom Jude referred is not the son of Zebedee. He can be ruled out of consideration because he was martyred at an early date. (Acts 12:1-2). The James to whom Jude refers to is surely the well-known leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13-21; Gal. 2:9). THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, for this James was the brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3). If Jude was a brother of James, then he was also a brother of Jesus. Rather than call himself Jesus’ brother out-right, Jude chose humbly to designate himself as Christ’s servant.” What a lesson to learn, what an attitude of mind and heart to be inspired by!

Do you think it might be that, by his life choices which often may be seen as “pride”, that Jude humbled himself, desiring to be known as Jesus’ “servant” – not a human, fleshly brother?

This may be why 1 Corinthians 10:31 gets the “high-level mark” of true disciples: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” AMEN?

CHAPTER THREE

OPTIONAL EXPRESSIONS OF LIFE – HUMAN OR DIVINE, FLESHLY OR SPIRITUAL, TEMPORARY OR ETERNAL?”

A life bleak or blessed, a life scarred with sin and the old sin nature, or a life conceived by the Holy Spirit, a life trying or trusting, a life programmed by the world, the flesh, and the devil, or a life purposed, promised, and spiritually prosperous in God’s Kingdom because of “new births”, or a life experiencing, exposed to, exasperated by, encapsulated by fears, anxieties, worries, doubts or a life enraptured with, enduring, exciting, and exhilarating in the joy of Jesus’ indwelling, overcoming, victorious Resurrection Presence?

What is your life? Is it the life in Christ Jesus with a peace that passes all understanding or is it a life of spiritual death of the guilty, a life of sinful flesh to offer as best one can, or the “Life in Christ” graciously granted in victorious, overcoming, rejoicing- in- Jesus hearts with symphonic Hallelujahs and glorious praise and thanksgiving from a new-born heart?

A ‘worldly life’ sustained by physical bread alone and the best ‘fallen flesh’ has to nibble on without an ounce of true repentance or pure sustenance or purified heart and mind, void of the Holy Spirit, void of the “fruit” of heavenly love, eternal peace, and life-changing joy that never subsides, wanes, or falters, is a life, though mentally religious but never “born again”, that tries to imitate, even pretend, and attempts with all flesh has to offer, but falls short of the reality of truly transformed hearts and lives by the miracle of the “new birth”!

Do you ever consider, think about, evaluate ‘God-less –living’ as empty, self-centered, mindless, purposeless, unfulfilling, unrewarding in its long haul, or a life filled with the manifestations of Holy Presence in Christ?

Do you remember Jesus saying, “Come to Me, learn of Me, rest in Me, and you’ll find “rest” that is eternal and blessing for your soul” that truly is indescribable?

Is your life based on fleshly ‘fairy’ tales or a life blessed on the divine, eternal, revelation of the Christ of Resurrection Life, Resurrection power, and Resurrection Hope?

The enemy of the “God-Life”, the devil, deceives, entraps, blinds men to the “Christ-in-you-Life” of Holy presence, Holy purpose, and Holy power, with ‘imitation’, ‘non-redemptive,’ ‘fleshly intents alone,’ without any consideration of the miracle of “new birth,” the blessing of “Christ-in-you,” or the fulfillment of divinely-ordained, eternal intent, or sovereignly, ordained, and graciously given “Oneness” with the divine nature in and through Christ!

It was Philip James Bailey, in his “Festus, A Country Town,” who once wrote: “We live in deeds, not years; in thought (or Truth) not breath: In feelings, not figures on a dial. We should count time by heart-throbs. He most lives who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best. Life’s but a means unto an end; that end Beginning, mean, and end of all things – God.”

What is YOUR life? “Hell’s bells” or “the Joy-Juice of Jesus’ Presence”? A fleshly flame revealing failing, futile living or the pure flame of the Eternal Son and Sun of Life within us, the Crucified, Resurrected King of kings and Lord of lords?

Life is not a ladder finitely stepped – never has been, never will be – Life was extraordinarily given to give men personal choice of ‘flesh-life’ or the “Divine Life” – life without God or life in Him – not fleshly dreams, finite feelings of sensual pleasures, or faltering feelings of human successes, but a life, not of temporary thoughts of pleasure and satisfactions, but one of eternal peace, resurrection presence, and heavenly joys!

Is your life the “bondage” of your ‘old- as- ADAM’ SIN NATURE OR THE “BLESSING” of LIVING IN, BY, and FOR THE LIFE OF ANOTHER, EVEN CHRIST ALONE THE HOPE OF GLORY?

A man who lives only to satisfy his Adam’s original nature, his flesh, his old, ancient sin nature, his selfish ambitions, is a man who never discovers perfect peace in Christ, selfless surrender to the sovereignty of God, or complete liberty and freedom and desire to honor, bless, exalt, and please the Savior, the Blessed Redeemer only!?!

A life that is satisfied with ‘flesh’ (the old sin nature), that knows no ‘self-denial’, that accepts the devil’s ‘slant’ that ‘You Can Sin And Not Die, That Thinks “devotion to God” is unnecessary, that’s been deceived by the powers of darkness, that loving the world and its lust of the flesh is not evil, never submitting to the reality that THAT world of idiotic, fleshly foolishness, is fading, failing, unfulfilling, and that the lust of it is death constantly just warmed over, and is passing away into a dark abode of demon presence, insisting it’s ‘OK’ – and that’s a life ‘OVERCOMING’ ?– just not overcoming by the blood of the Lamb?

You’ve heard it: “Live while you live – satisfy the passions of your old sin nature, realize you are your own, do as you please, never silencing the demons, and you “just go to Hell” – “it’s OK” – “everybody does it”; while that’s true for the most – it’s not true for God’s redeemed, blood-bought remnant – they find the only Way, the only Truth, and the only Life!

How sad that many never come to know the Life that is “in Christ”, never know the true pleasures that never fade that Jesus brings, that never experience the peace that passes all understanding, that never knows “death to self” and “Life in the Savior”, or “death to the fallen nature” and Life in the fullness of the divine nature, or the “death of bad fruit” and not the Life of “the fruit of the Spirit”!

Are you aware of the man-made philosophy that ‘best effort here’ is worthy of life in the “here-after”, that “fleshly best ensures life forever”, that “trusting is good for humanity,” even if God says trusting in Him alone is your only hope?

“Live while you live as your ‘flesh’ dictates” or “Live in Me alone” as Jesus declared? “Live while you live for the pleasures that satisfy your fleshly tendencies” or is it “Live for the purpose of honoring the God who made you, lost you, but bought you with a price, even the blood, innocent blood, of the precious Lamb of God?”

How many do you know who see “life is living it to the fullest for yourself as YOU see it for yourself,” or is it “Life is living as God desires, defines, declares, and delivers me to through a repentant heart, fully trusting and receiving forgiveness, and the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Have you ever heard it? “A man’s ingress into his own world is knowing, satisfying, and promoting himself with all due diligence”, without any consideration of the eternal purpose of God of ordination as a vessel or container of divine life and holy presence? It’s not ingress in ‘self’ but INDWELT by Resurrection Life in Christ alone!

Facts of human existence are not as Fosdick once spoke of as ‘loose types with many meanings,” but human existence was intended before time began to be habitations of Holy Presence as “temples” of a loving Lord and Savior, but many have fallen victims desiring the “Las Vegas’ residences of self-indulgence, unbelief, and fleshly rebellion”!

Can you even ‘see’ in fallen humanity the reality of “chaotic disarrangement” and “self-centered”, self-serving, cynical or godless arrangements, fleshly affirmations and loyalties, and descents into hellish, hollow, and ‘holey’ attempts at life in the flesh alone ,but wanting spiritual existence on their own terms? That’s nothing more than fragments of existence offered as one’s best but never aligning or becoming one with God’s intent! But in 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, (Is this the testimony, not simply of your existence but God’s Indwelling?),

“But we have this treasure in earthern vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed (at times), but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed and therefore I spoke,’ we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”

Do you see it? Do you sense it? Have you settled it? Are you aware of it? There is the reality of one’s “best”, the “fleshly unfulfilled”, or God’s “best”, the spiritually re-born, indwelt, regenerated, Spirit-anointed, and “blessed” with the Resurrection Presence of the Living Lord, OR there is the unending evidences of the godless OR the eternal workings of Christ in the “Spirit-Man”.

Yes, there is “the sufferings of the saints” who ARE SUSTAINED BY THE SAVIOR, and who know both toughness in determination to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, and at the same time are tender followers who show others the way of Redeeming grace, purpose, and power! And though most saints are “forgotten by the world”, they live “fulfilled, blessed, contented, peaceful lives in and through Christ alone”! They are prayers, prepared, and equipped by the Word and the Spirit!

Do you comprehend “fleshly lives as containers of man’s best” or “spiritual lives birthed by the Spirit as recipients and containers and vessels of God’s best, the Living Christ, crucified, resurrected, ascended, reigning, and available to any repentant heart willing to be the temple of the Eternal Christ”?

In ‘fallen flesh” the “best” of human existence is only ‘variations’ and ‘shadows of the True’, but only ‘IN CHRIST’ is there the ‘victory over sin and death and emptiness and meaninglessness’, when only in the flesh is there the rewards of God’s enemy; but ‘IN CHRIST’ is the reaping and receiving of everlasting Life in Him! Christ-less lives are “oil-less lamps” with no ‘Light” that shines forth God’s glory.

Christ-less lives are ‘fragmented’ left-overs of ‘what could have been’ rather than Christ-Indwelt lives, fully revealing a God-ordained, and God-birthed Resurrection Presence!

Fleshly lives at the human-level “best” is only a cheap imitation of illumined, divine, resurrection presence of eternal life, eternal hope, and eternal fruit.

Free men? That’s not ‘freedom’ to do as one “damn well pleases”, but spiritual freedom in the Spirit to honor Christ alone! Only “in Christ” are men truly liberated to honor Holy God!

Most men, apart from God, arise each morning thinking, “What will really make ‘my day’ and ‘pump my flesh’ to historic levels?”, rather than, “What will honor God and exalt Christ through me to the world around me?”

A mortal man is only committed and satisfied in his self-complacency, his self-promotion, and his self- indulgence , but the “Christ-man” desires, longs for, driven by, and holds onto “honoring Christ alone, the hope of glory through me, as a vessel!”

Everything that promotes ‘flesh’, even ‘flesh at its best’, gives honor to the ‘old sin-nature’, turns a blind eye to the will, the Word, and purposes of Holy God, and is a clear exposure of one’s spiritual nakedness and his ‘egression’ willfully further away from God, and not his willful ‘ingression’ in Him by “repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of Christ alone.”

Misspent lives apart from the presence of Christ are like ‘empty glasses or vessels’ rather than residences of Christ in them as His Holy Temple!

Useless living is ‘born in sin’ with no desire to be reconciled to God, just indifferent to His Word and will, with no desire or longing or fleshly impulse to reconciliation or understanding of His Word or anything different from ‘fleshly satisfaction’ or even a thought about ‘birthed in Christ’ through repentance and faith! Yes, millions live without any desire to be “citizens of the Kingdom of God”, living consumed in promoting ‘self’ , not understanding the rebellious attitude that is the ‘death-nail’ to eternal purpose. Personal imagination and personal intent is not divine life nor divine presence nor divine power, but simply “best of the flesh” honoring “self-made men” of temporary existence, fading fame, tainted rewards, and terrible, eternal residences apart from the God who loved them, wanted them, but lost them by their lusts, their stubbornness, indifference, and mindlessness and heartlessness to His good, acceptable, and perfect will –“best effort” or “fallen flesh” is acceptable to them, and not even the Crucified and Resurrected Christ matters to them!

It’s not even ‘how long you lived’, but “in Whom you lived”, not the “best of self-effort existence in the sands of life” but “the solid foundation” of the True Rock who is Christ alone.

Do YOU fathom, do you understand, do you comprehend lives that are nothing more than ‘helpless pieces’ on “Life’s Game-board” with no submission or open door in them to the True Author of Everlasting Life, Purpose, or Divine Moves on their ‘play-boards’ of one’s earthly existence? Apart from Jesus it’s emptiness, vainness, personal game-playing – not the unveiling and revealing and revelation of Eternal Intent!

Life ‘found’ for one’s self apart from the Savior and Lord is a life guaranteed of eternal loss and one of serious desperation and consequences, but life “FOUND” in Christ for His honor, His glory, His praise, will stand eternally before Holy God, constantly reflecting, radiating, revealing Jesus’ everlasting Presence! It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in his “A Psalm of Life,” who wrote: “Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal,” but I’m not sure if he even grasped, “Life is eternal” – and it’s either ‘in your best’ or Jesus’ “Resurrection Life and Holy, Resurrected Presence”; yes, there is life that continues beyond the grave and Hell with all its demons, devil, and unbelievers, but with the “graced saints” graciously living in God’s gift of eternal life in and through Christ’s “finished work”, there IS Heaven! Yes, Jesus Only!

Any definition of ‘life’ that has no foundation under it of honoring and glorifying Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior is ‘fruitless’, even ‘hollow religions’, ‘unregenerate church members’, or ‘temples steeped with ‘hypocrites’! But Jesus IS “the Light”, and “Jesus Only” is the ONLY UNVEILING OF LIGHT within men!

Christ Jesus, Emmanuel, Promised Messiah, IS the “Life”, the “Bread of Life”, is the “Author of LIFE” and that more abundantly, IS the “gift of God” and the only door to “eternal life”, and Paul says, “To live ‘in Christ’ is to flourish, and to die ‘in Christ’ is to gain eternal Presence and an eternal home in Heaven; life apart from Christ is a ‘vapor’ that only ‘exists’, and that ‘forever’ with flesh’s author and finisher who is the devil, but ‘in Christ’ there is victorious presence that never dies, falters or fades away in insignificance, but constantly joins Heaven’s Angels in the “Hallelujah Chorus”!

Unhappy lives or even ‘happy lives’ are not “God-blessed” or “Spirit-birthed” but just Adam-seeded, sin-natured attempts at “doing one’s best” with even totally unconcerned, misinformed, or blinded allegiance to God’s purpose in their ‘creation’. Have you ever heard someone say, “The purpose of life is just be yourself to your fullest and be happy?” when God’s intent is one being through with himself, accepting God’s judgment of his/her death with Christ as his/her only hope, and rejoicing daily in His Resurrection Presence in their repentant, redeemed, reconciled to God hearts!

It was Shakespeare, in his “Macbeth”, [Act V, sc.5.1,26], who wrote: “Life…is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” Did the prophet mention the one who says, “Peace, peace, but there is no peace?”

You do understand, you do comprehend, you have evaluated the consequences of “Godless-men, nations, individuals” who ‘try’ to live with “no need of God”! Leo Tolstoy was right on target when in his writing “The Kingdom of God,” (Chapter 12), he said: “The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God; and this can be done only by means of the acknowledgement and profession [and I, JFF, would add ‘confession’ and ‘acceptance’] of the Truth by each one of us.”

I like what Augustine said when he spoke, “Before God can deliver us we must undeceive ourselves”! “The wages of (“my”) sin is death, but the ‘gift of God’ IS eternal life in and through Christ ONLY!” And as a result of receiving the “finished work of Christ AT THE CROSS,” resurrected to the King’s Presence, His Kingdom, and His witness in us and through us, He gives us graciously the “gift of the Holy Spirit,” and Romans 8:16 declares: “The Spirit (the Holy Spirit!) Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.”

As a result of the amazing miracle of grace and the habitation of the Risen Christ within repentant hearts, and the recipients of the Holy Spirit “bearing witness in us and through us,” do you doubt, or just never informed and discipled to be led by the Holy Spirit? “The Spirit bears witness!” Is He “bearing witness” in you and through you?

I love Oswald Chambers’ explanation of “The Witness of the Spirit” in his amazing writings entitled, “My Utmost For His Highest.” (p.218). “We are in danger of getting the barter spirit when we come to God, wanting the witness before we have done what God tells us to do. “Why does not God reveal Himself to me?” He cannot, it is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the road as you won’t abandon absolutely to Him. Immediately you do, God witnesses to Himself. He cannot witness to you, but He witnesses instantly to His own nature in you. If you had the witness before the reality, it would end in sentimental emotion. Immediately you transact on the Redemption, and stop the impertinence of debate, God gives the witness. As soon as you abandon reasoning and argument, God witnesses to what He has done, and we are amazed at our impertinence in having kept Him waiting. If you are in debate as to whether God can deliver from sin, either let Him do it, or tell Him He cannot. Do not quote this and that person, try Matthew 11:28, – “Come unto Me.” “COME”, if you are weary and heavy laden; “ask”, if you know you are evil. (Luke 11:13).

Chambers went on to say: (p.219), “The Spirit of God witnesses to the Redemption of our Lord, He does not witness to anything else; He cannot witness to our reason. The simplicity that comes from our common-sense decisions is apt to be mistaken for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of Redemption, never to our reason. If we try to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder we are in darkness and perplexity. Fling it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give the witness.”

That’s so true “IF”! “If any man be in Christ, If any man is finished with his old life, old sin-nature, and his ‘fleshly ambitions’, willing ALL old things “are passed away,” then the “new-creation man”, indwelt by Resurrection Life in Christ, is then ready to “receive the Holy Spirit” to guide, direct, empower, and overflow in you and through you with, yes, “the gifts of the Spirit,” ready to reveal a redeemed, re-born, Spirit-filled, appointed, anointed witness to the glory and honor of Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope!

In the old American hymnal of Robert Coleman’s, published by The Broadman Press in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1933, I came across the song By Horatuis Bonar entitled “I Heard The Voice of Jesus Say.” It says:

“I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest; Lay down, you weary one, lay down your head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give The living water; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.” I came to Jesus and I drank of that life-giving stream; my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s light: Look unto Me, your morn shall rise, And all your days be bright.” I looked to Jesus and found in Him my Star, my Sun; And in that light of life I’ll walk Till all my journey’s done.”

Old man – “new man”; flesh – Spirit; the sinner’s man – His saint; the Undone – in Him a “finished work” complete in Christ lacking nothing; grit, grease, garbage, and gall – “in Christ” is grace, victorious virtue, “fresh springs”, and perfect “God-Likeness”; empty, insignificant, earthly dwelling of ‘human flesh’ – “in Christ” is eternal Life, Holy Presence, and All-Sufficient grace; ‘flesh-poverty? – how about “enriched in Him, heirs, sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father, co-laborers in the Savior’s eternal, redemptive work, recipients of the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, blessed with “amazing assurance”, divine anointings, holy callings, the natural crucified but resurrection Life amplified, Kingdom living and resident address, Kingdom presence, Kingdom power, Kingdom privileges, and Kingdom testimonies, visions and dreams, and Holy anointings in fulfilling His good and acceptable and purposeful will, citizens of the eternal Kingdom, members of the divine Family, appointees “in Christ” to the mission of world-wide “redemption” through our testimonies of “the blood of the Lamb and His Resurrection Presence in every “born-again” life! “Rise up, O men of God!”

CHAPTER FOUR

“MOUNTAIN PRAYERS – MOUNTAINOUS PRIVILEGES”

You’ll remember, no doubt, that in Luke 18:1 Jesus spoke to His disciples after the Pharisees had asked Him about the coming of the Kingdom of God, and said to them [and us!], Then He spoke a parable to them, that “MEN ALWAYS OUGHT TO PRAY AND NOT LOSE HEART, SAYING…”, and He illuminated the importance, the necessity, the faithful ‘heart-cries’ unto God, like the prayers of desperation of the widow who knew that in her life there was no hope except in the loving, caring, merciful God, who gives His kingdom-rule and presence, like “little children” who trust, lean, and depend upon Him ALONE!

Do you realize, comprehend, or discern why many “church-goers” are like many “American voters”, confused with true allegiance to “religion over relationship,” or “pretense over possession”, or a “fleshly substitute over the spiritual reality of you ‘must be born again’”, or “surrender to Christ’s Lordship”, or “yielded-ness to Resurrection Presence”?

In my Random House Collegiate Dictionary (1975, Random House Inc.), I read about “mountain-sickness” and wondered if that is illustrating many poor, praying, professing disciples of the Lord Jesus! It says: “Mountain sickness” is defined as: “a condition characterized by difficult breathing, headache, nausea etc. caused by the RAREFACTION OF THE AIR AT HIGH ALTITUDES.” “RAREFACTION? – “extremely high or elevated; lofty; exalted: rarefied thinking, understanding, or rarefied art”!!!

Have YOU ever heard that “prayer” or “the wings of prayer carrying one high and far” – even into the presence of Holy God and His Throne”? In Matthew 5:1, as Jesus saw the masses, the multitudes following Him, “He WENT UP ON A MOUNTAIN…” like, Exodus 19:3? “And Moses went UP to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, Saying…”! “Mountainous Experiences”? Mountainous experiences like “prayer”?

Several months ago I read Eric Metaxas’ book, “Miracles”, [Copyright@ 2014 by Metaxas Media,LLC], and in his ‘preface’ before his own Introduction, he quoted G.K. Chesterton, from his book “Orthodoxy”, saying: “But my belief that miracles have happened in human history is not a mystical belief at all; I believe in them upon human evidences as I do in the discovery of America.” Do I believe in the “miracles” of prayer? Just as assuredly as I believe in the historical discovery of our great nation”. Chesterton went on to say, “That is, you either deny the main principle of democracy, or you affirm the main principle of materialism – the abstract impossibility of a miracle. You have a perfect right to do so; but in that case you are the dogmatist. It is we Christians who accept all actual evidence – it is you rationalists who refuse actual evidence being constrained to do so by your creed.” [Would that be the “creed of self-actualization” apart from the need of any divine intervention?]. Chesterton went on: “But I am not constrained by any creed in the matter, and looking impartiality into certain miracles of medieval and modern times, I have come to the conclusion that they occurred.”

Have YOU come to the conclusion in the 21^st Century that Holy God is still the God who hears and answers your prayers, with miracles or without one in your journey?

Oh, and then, in his “Introduction”, Eric Metaxas wrote, “Most readers will consider this volume a departure from my previous oeuvre, [ ‘the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole,’], (Random House College Dictionary, 1975, Random House Inc.), and from my recent biographies it is certainly a departure. In fact, the subjects of those books, William Wilberforce and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, do not seem to have had any experiences that could be described as miraculous, at least not in the sense of that word as it is used in this book. Their deeply inspiring lives – their extraordinary actions and accomplishments – were manifestly fueled by their passionate faith in the God of the Bible, yet we have no record of that God speaking to them or revealing Himself to them in any ways that would qualify for mention in a book like this SO perhaps we should let their exemplary lives stand as evidence that one can have a world-changing and even saintly life of faith without miraculous experiences,” which I too believe to be true, but not apart from the “prayer-life and ministry”, which should be the testimony of every true disciple!

In fact, please remember Christ Jesus, in Matthew 5:1, “went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him,” and He shared the blessed “Beatitudes”, but went on in Matthew 6:5-13, saying, “And WHEN YOU PRAY, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward ( what’s that? “seen of men” but not by God!). But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. [Isn’t that amazing to you? Jesus acknowledged that ‘heathen’ pray, even though with vain repetitions!]. For they THINK that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Satan). For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen.”

Do YOU understand, grasp, and live by the inevitable, unceasing, empowering ‘heart-cry’ of the truly transformed? Psalm 145 is David’s song of prayer and praise to the Holy God of majesty and indescribable, unending, deserving worship, and never-ending availability to the humble, needy, yielded vessel of true faith and blood redemption! It says:

“I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever, (just not today?) (No!). Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable (Maybe even “indescribable”?). One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. [Are YOU one of His works?]. All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints (those “set apart” to His honor and praise!) shall bless You. They SHALL SPEAK OF THE GLORY OF YOUR KINGDOM, and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom. {Under God’s “Heaven on earth, what have YOU been waiting for, looking for, or hoping for ‘someday’ out there in “the sweet by and by”, when the Word declares His kingdom rule is for here and now in all true believers’ lives, whether they know it or not!!!}

King David went on in Verses 13-21, Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord upholds (even) all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down (ever been bowled over, bowed down by “tribulations” that Jesus said you would experience in your world, but, you realize, you know, you are not to “Lean to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him”, giving Him room to be Himself, in you and through you”! David went on:

The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in ALL HIS WAYS, gracious in ALL HIS WORKS. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and save them.

THE LORD PRESERVES ALL WHO LOVE HIM, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever. “ { And “all flesh” praises Him forever, even if it’s while bound in Hell!}.

Psalm 145 declares: 1) The personal expression of praise and extolling God the King! Verse one.

2) It is the perennial occupation of the “redeemed”! Verse two: “Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name forever and ever.” Really?

3) It is the powerful overture of symphonic praise! Verses 3, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.”

4) It is to be a “passed-on priority”! Verse 4, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”

5) It is passion for His majestic ways! Verses 5-6, “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness.”

6) It is poured-out, overflowing, abundant declarations (even in YOUR prayer to Him, “The sacred instinct, the ‘natural’ spiritual state of one redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!”) Verses 7-9, “They shall utter the memory of Your goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness: “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

7) It is the inevitable heart-cry of the transformed, the royal revenue of a redeemed, regenerate heart, the holy heritage of hearts helped by Him, and the continuing, on-going, eternal ministry and thanksgiving and “hallelujahs” of the “blood-bought”, the “joint-heirs” of God “in Christ”!

Psalm 149:1-2 declares: “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel (the people of God, the ‘remnant’), rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.”

“Mountain Prayers – Mountainous Privileges!” As Eric Metaxas started his book, early in the first chapter, (p.13), he stated, “It is vital that we do not have a “Disney” theology that only says “Believe!” – one that is ‘merely’ about childlike wonder – because if we aren’t careful with what we believe in, we will end up believing in anything”. How true!

But, at times, “professing believers” live in a ‘spiritual’ (?) state of blindness, even thoughtlessness, and often times even hyper-critical of God “for my present circumstances – where are You, God?”, and, with Metaxes, see themselves in “thoughtless gullibility on the one hand, and flippant, dismissive cynicism on the other”, while “prayers” are steeped in prayer-faithfulness, even IF it’s a long-time coming!

Are you aware of the humblest servant, the ‘least’ gifted, the unknown faithful witness of “amazing grace”, being used by Holy God to exalt, exemplify, explain, and interpret the Living Jesus through their ‘unglazed’ but “graced” walk of true discipleship? Do YOU discern, witness, and are heart-broken because of so much “pretense” apart from “faithful practice” and “faithful seeking” and “faithful proclamation and privilege of”, yes, “sharing Christ Jesus with others”? Is there such a thing as “biblical, redemptive, life-changing faith” that is “salt and light” to the unredeemed, ‘lost’, alienated and separated from God individuals, and, yes, even “dead religions” and “dying, though professing, godless nations”?

From “the mountain” our Lord and Savior was led to the Cross! Yes! “In the world you will have troubles – but, be assured, as I have overcome through prayer and faith in My Father’s finished work, even so you, trusting disciples, will walk through the valleys of the very shadows of death into the “mountainous privilege” of relationship, intimacy, blessing, and fulfillment and finishing of the redemptive work He is doing in you and through you!” Glory

B.B. McKinney, in 1929, wrote the chorus, “Over the Line”, which says, “Over the line, Over the line, Step over the line to Jesus; Out of your night, into the light, Step over the line to Jesus”; and there is “the line” between ‘darkness and light’, between ‘life or death,’ between “best efforts” and “Blessed Assurances”!

“Mountain Prayers – Mountainous Privileges”! Have you ever said: “Father-God, WHY am I here?” How profound, personal, praise-worthy, was the prayer of Christ Jesus in Matthew 6: 9-10, as He taught the disciples then and now, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

YOUR prayers should be, must be, will be, the seeds of sowing for the ‘heart of God’ to find fertile fields through our available lives! And as Phillip Brooks once said, “Prayer is not laying hold of God’s reluctance, but (us) taking hold of God’s willingness”! Glory!

In fact, as we pray, as we search the Scriptures, as we witness the powerful testimony of our Lord and Savior, as we read dynamic testimonies of our overcoming “fathers of the faith” and “mothers of the mission” and “sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of the walk of faith”, we see “prayer-warriors” overcoming, “prayer-warriors” empowering the ‘saints’, “prayer- warriors” celebrating “the promises” and “the privileges” and even “the paths” Holy God directed them to walk upon and the fires, even, that He brought them through! Do you believe Romans 8:28 is as valid today as it was when Paul wrote it? Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that ALL THINGS work together FOR GOOD to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose,” going on to say in the very next verse that we were “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Do you remember Paul writing to the church at Colossae and us about our “Mountainous Privileges”? Colossian 1:15-23 declares, “He (Christ Jesus) IS the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE”!

I challenge YOU to consider: “Does Christ Jesus HAVE PREEMINENCE IN YOU, IN YOUR MARRIAGE, IN YOUR FAMILY, IN YOUR BUSINESS, IN YOUR STATE, NATION, OR WORLD, AND ESPECIALLY YOUR PRAYER-MINISTRY?”

I do not know Samuel Henry Price. I came across a statement he once made, found in “The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations,” [edited & compiled by Frank S. Mead, and Fleming H. Revell Company, Westwood, New Jersey]. He wrote: “The world is full of faces, black with anger, green with envy and red with shame, which could be made radiantly white with holiness and spirituality aglow by the transfiguring power of prayer.”

Dare I say, “enough of prayerless disciples, enough of prayerless preachers, enough of prayerless leaders wherever they reside”!?! Yet, how ‘the dark cloud of prayerlessness’ seems to ‘hang’ over lives, families, churches, states, and nations! Yes, passionate ‘pray-ers’ and prayers unleash divine willingness, not reluctance! Prayers open the “flood-gates” of divine willingness and sovereign desires and holy ambitions in lives, churches, cities, states, nations, whether political, social, or spiritual!

In Colossians 4:2-4 Paul wrote this challenging word to the Colossians and us: “Continue EARNESTLY in prayer, BEING VIGILANT in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains (imprisoned for the faith!), that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” Is that word ‘ought”, yes, our own “holy mandate” and “sovereign commission” as “ambassadors for Christ”? Without a single doubt! Every believer, every disciple, every servant of Christ, every man, woman, child of faith, are Commissioned by Christ Himself to “pray without ceasing” and “persevere in endurance” to touch our world with sovereign grace, mercy, and love, as WE “pray them into the kingdom”!

Do you believe it? “If God created the world, and He did, can He raise the ‘spiritually dead’ to “life everlasting” in and through Christ Jesus”? Dare I tell you? Believe I will: “Faith in Christ Jesus, because of intercessory prayers, births “new-born” lives into the eternal kingdom of God in Christ, and “they” are the “pray-ers” interceding for “world redemption”! They lay hold of the horns of the altar, and they won’t let go!

CHAPTER FIVE

“IT IS DONE – IT IS FINISHED”

In John 17:1-5 Christ Jesus prayed to the Father, lifting up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

The hour that came in the life of the Son of God, on earth, birthed in the Virgin Mary, cared for by Mary and Joseph for many years, watched over by Father-God and the army of angels appointed and anointed by Holy God, did “the appointed hour” come, having been established before the world had even been created, that God, through the “Son”, would invade this world to reconcile a rebellious world unto Himself? Of course He did!

Not only, “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” but before its beginning, Holy God saw the “Fall” and determined “The Fall’s” reconciliation to Holy God through the sacrifice of God’s only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

And IF God did it for Adam and Eve, if God did it for a Moses or a prophet, if God did it for all of fallen humanity, was it just simply for them alone in the past, or is there “a finished Work”, an “It is done” for every birthed individual past, present, or future?

In Acts 10:34-43 Peter declared: “In truth I perceive THAT GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, PREACHING PEACE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS – HE IS LORD OF ALL – that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging Him on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness, that through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

But a “fallen world”, without an awareness of the need of “reconciliation” to Holy God, will manufacture, invent, substitute, all kinds of human inventions to seek to appease their guilty, alienated from, blinded, sinful hearts by multitudinous, impotent, self-assertive ways of improving, over-looking, or excusing their sinful state!

And in spite of many of fallen mankind’s ‘fleshly innovations’ of ‘spiritual disciples’(?), even man-made religious systems, God overlooked, God intervened, God proved His love for fallen mankind, through the blood sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on Calvary’s Cross!

Do you remember God “testing” Abraham in Genesis? Follow the Word! [Genesis 22:1-18], Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Then God said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” [“We will come back to you”? “WE”? Abraham and Isaac? You mean he understood, even before the sacrifice of his son on the altar, that , though willingly offered as the sacrifice, Holy God was able to raise his son from the dead?!?].

So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, ‘The-Lord-Will-Provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son – blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, BECAUSE YOU HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE. “

What was God’s intent in His testing of Abraham? If there is a willingness to obey, God sees the heart through which He can reveal Himself! In fact, In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men”, but that was after He had said in Matthew 4:17, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:23 then tells us that Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom…”. Do you know what Isaiah 52:7 says? “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaim peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”

And Abraham, and Jesus, or you as His disciple and follower and servant? Do you know about “beautiful feet”, about “proclaimers of good news and peace” and about those “who proclaim salvation”, saying, “God reigns” – will you allow Him to reign over your life, your home, your family, your business, your community, your nation? Jesus said what? “It is finished – It is done!”

FIRST, NOTICE, NO MORE UNAWARENESS OF GOD’S CONCERN FOR HIS CREATED WORLD! I remind you of what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 because it relates to every follower of Christ in the time period of his/her present existence in whatever nation, state, or circumstance: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; (So) that the man of god may be adequate, equipped for, (or thoroughly furnished) for every good work.”

And if that is true, and it is, then are you and I to be alerted to what Jesus has to say, not only to the Israelites in Jerusalem or the nation of Israel, but to every disciple, regardless of his present residence – the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa? What did our Lord say in Luke 21:10-28?

Then He [Christ Jesus] continued by saying to them (but not to you?), “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.

It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance (or a mouth) and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.

But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all on account of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives (or souls).

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city;

Because these are days of vengeance (for the blood covenant), in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people,

And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (That’s the “Present Age” to the Advent!!).

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among the nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, (or a flood of words), men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

And THEN they will see The Son of Man Coming In a Cloud with power and great glory. “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

LOOK UP! YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR! LOOK UP! JESUS CHRIST IS ON THE THRONE, RULING AND REIGNING, AND HIS KINGDOM HAS COME AND HIS RULE ASSURES YOU OF YOUR VICTORY IN YOUR WORLD OF TODAY! God cares about YOU, and has never taken His eyes off of you or your circumstances in your world!

SECOND, NO MORE UNAWARENESS OF GOD’S CARE FOR THE LOWLIEST OF MANKIND, FOR THE WORLD’S INSIGNIFICANT, FOR THE ONE NO ONE CARES ABOUT BUT GOD HIMSELF!

I think Daniel 4 was eternally sealed by the Spirit for this very point: “No unawareness of God’s Care for the most insignificant of mankind, but His care for the ‘least’, or the most well-known of all mankind?”

Daniel 4:1-17 is an amazing declaration and illuminating Word from Holy God: Nebuchadnezzar the king to all the peoples, nations, and men of every language that live in all the earth: “May your peace abound!

It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me. How great are His signs, and how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. I saw a dream and it made me fearful; and these fantasies as I lay on my bed and the visions in my mind kept alarming me.

So I gave orders to bring into my presence all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I related the dream to them; but they could not make its interpretation known to me.

But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related my dream to him, saying, ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, since I know that a spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mystery baffles you, tell me the visions of my dream which I have seen, along with its interpretations.

Now these were the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed: I was looking, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree became large and became strong, and its height reached to the sky, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches, and all living creatures fed themselves from it.

I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and behold, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. He shouted out and spoke as follows: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let a beast’s mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets it over the lowliest of men.”

King Nebuchadnezzar knew of the sovereignty of Holy God and God’s concern for the “lowliest of men”, yet a humble spirit was unknown to him, and God removed his sovereignty from His life, even though he ‘professed’.

But in Ezekial 34:31 Holy God declared that days were coming when He would establish a “new covenant” – and we know that “new covenant” was the blood covenant through the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son, Emmanuel, which means “God with us”, not like the old covenant which the Israelites willingly broke, even though they’d entered ‘marriage’ with Him.

Jeremiah gave us even a clearer picture of this “new covenant”. Jeremiah 31:31-34 says: “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know Me, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and THEIR SIN I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

How is that? BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR OLD SIN NATURE WERE “CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST”, PUT TO DEATH, AND YOU THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH BECAME THE RECIPIENT OF RESURRECTION LIFE, RESURRECTION POWER, AND RESURRECTION HOPE! Through the blood of the Lamb, from the “least” to the greatest, new life has come!

THIRD, NO MORE UNAWARENESS OF GOD’S COMPASSION FOR THE LONELIEST OF THE ALONE! Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 is a powerful, piercing, heart-wrenching explanation of individuals who, yes, more than not, CHOOSE to walk through life alone, unaware of the Greatest Friend the lonely have ever known! It says:

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun: There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, ‘For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?’ This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep him warm; but how can one be warm alone? [Insert! How many ‘alone’ people have crossed your path and you’ve witnessed their ‘cold’ nature?]. Verse 12, Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Who is the third cord in the two-fold relationship of friend to friend or husband to wife or wife to husband or parent to child or child to parent? Consider that two-fold union plus the presence of the Resurrected, Reigning Christ Jesus!

Consider even Jesus Himself! Even his intimate disciples left Him & He stood alone often, yet He said in John 8: 16b, “…for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me,” and in Verse 18 The Lord Jesus said, “I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”

You do not have to walk through life alone! God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit has “knocked on your heart’s door before and still does now”! Revelation 3:18-22 says, Jesus speaking, “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

There’s an interesting verse in Jeremiah 49:31 where the Lord says, “Arise, go up to the wealthy nation that dwells securely,” says the Lord, which has neither gates no bars, dwelling alone.” Dare I tell you that the man rich in himself with his personal determination of wealth in himself without God, living in a false security state of mind, dwelling alone, and God says, “That’s the man I love, that’s the man I want to be One with, The loneliest of the alone – I love him, I seek him, I find him, and I say to that lonely man, – Matthew 11:28-30 –Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

FOURTH, NO MORE UNAWARENESS OF GOD’S COMPASSION FOR THE ‘LEAST-SENSING ‘ INDIVIDUAL! To say, like some, “Your God doesn’t care”, is without a doubt a senseless assertion, but in a time of great stress, even men like David, could complain, (Psalm 142:3-5), “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; NO ONE CARES FOR MY SOUL.”

But then, at least King David, had the saneness and senseness of “I cried out to You, O Lord”; I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” But there are ‘senseless’ individuals whose hearts, minds, and brains are totally dead to the compassion and care of Holy God!

There are times in life’s pilgrimage when affliction deadens some’s ‘faith’, troubles and temptations harden their hearts, disappointments, rejections, betrayals, a serious sickness, a horrific betrayal of wedding vows or betrayal of what seemed to be ‘a true friendship’, hardens some hearts and lives, and they never consider “God’s compassion” for the sin-bound, the troubled, the lonely, or the fearful – they just stiffen in their dumb-foundedness of His love, grace, and mercy. Perplexity becomes their ‘cry’ rather than redemptive faith in the Lord’s ability to transform trouble into triumph!

It was Peter who was given a wise word in 1 Peter 5:5-11, “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore humble yourselves UNDER the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.”

Holy God, Mighty God, Omnipotent God, is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or even think! And though YOU may sense, “NO ONE CARES FOR MY SOUL,” GOD DOES! LOOK AT THE CROSS AND THE EMPTY TOMB! The ‘least-sensing servant’ Jesus cares for and proves His love!

LASTLY, NO MORE UNAWARENESS OF GOD’S COMPASSION FOR THE CITIZENS OF EVEN REBELLIOUS NATIONS! Do you ever reflect upon, study, search out Psalm 2? The psalmist wrote about “the realness of rebellion”, but then amplified the Coming Messiah’s victory and triumph and Kingdom rule over sin and death! It says:

“Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED [The PROMISED MESSIAH!], saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” He (Holy God) who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His displeasure: Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, “You (Jesus) are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. BLESSED ARE ALL THOSE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM (THE PROMISED MESSIAH!).”

Rebellious nations may rage, unbelieving leaders plot ‘vain things’, senseless rulers and self-centered individuals pool their foolish thoughts against God, but the Father begot the Son, and the Son lived and died in our place, and still reigns in Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope! And 2 Corinthians 7:10 declares, “For godly sorrow produces repentance LEADING TO SALVATION, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Oswald Chambers wrote in “My Utmost For His Highest,” (p.254-255), “The marvels of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven man who is the holy man, he proves he is forgiven by being the opposite to what he was, by God’s grace. Repentance always brings a man to this point: I HAVE SINNED. The surest sign that God is at work is when a man says that and means it. Anything less than this is remorse for having made blunders, the reflex action of disgust at himself. The entrance into the Kingdom is through the panging pains of repentance crashing into a man’s respectable goodness; then the Holy Ghost, Who produces these agonies, begins the formation of the Son of God in the life. The new life will manifest itself in conscious repentance and unconscious holiness, never the other way about. The bedrock of Christianity is repentance.”

Repentance is not the license to continue sinning, but the freedom to walk in holiness and purity! Hebrews 10:14 the author superbly declares: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Are YOU?

Holy God, through the offering of Jesus on the Cross, offers the rebellious life through the sacrifice of Christ, a new life, a new hope, an eternal future with Him around the Throne forever and ever, but if one sins willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries”! Are you an “adversary” or true friend of the Christ of the Cross and the Christ of the Empty Tomb? “Blessed are all those who put their trust in “The Promised Messiah”!

CHAPTER SIX

“THE ANGELIC SONGS OF THE REDEEMED”

In Psalm 91:9-16 (NASB) there is an awesome and amazing revelation about “the redeemed” and their “care-taker angels.” It says: “For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor any plague come near your tent. For He [Holy God] WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent (dragon) you will trample down. Because he has loved me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.

He will call upon Me, and I will rescue him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation.”

Has Holy God ‘given His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways? Have YOU ever experienced, been alerted to, aware of, and amazed by His “angelic presence” as the “Redeemed of God”, or just unaware of His angelic ministry?

Are you acquainted with “the heavenly hosts” that surround, stand by, and guard you, as a child of the King, in all your ways? Even though you may see yourself as a fleshly creature of mere existence, God, in His infinite wisdom, mercy, and grace, surrounds you with His ministering and caring angels.

Sadly, most men apart from Christ, are more familiar with demons than they are the caring angels of God for His children!

William Cowper, in his writing entitled “CHARITY”, (1.435), wrote: “When one holds communion with the skies Has filled his urn where these pure waters rise, And once more mingles with us meaner things, ‘Tis’ even as if an angel shook his wings.” HAVE YOU OBSERVED “THE SHAKING OF ANGELS’WINGS”?

I tell you, “Angels’ wings are not fiction but a taste of Holy, Heavenly Presence, with the awesome responsibility of unveiling redemptive faith, not reckless fiction! There’s an old French Proverb that once spoke of “young angel, an old devil.”

Gerald Massey, in his writing, “Ballad of Babe Christabel”, wrote: “In this dim world of clouding cares, We rarely know, till ‘wildered eyes’ See white wings lessening up the skies, The angels with us unawares.”

Don’t you think this is why Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Are you not aware that often “the shepherds” who tend God’s flocks are not only pastors but angels?

Skakespeare, in his writing “Hamlet”, spoke of “A ministering angel shall my sister be.” Do you welcome “ministering angels”? Do you remember Mary giving birth to her first-born son? Luke 2:7-14 declares: And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you, you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

But you are unsure about angels attending, watching over, caring for, encouraging every new-born son AND DAUGHTER OF Holy God through Christ Jesus? Religions birth demons – Jesus blesses His children with angels!

Several things we must be aware of concerning “The Angelic Songs of the Redeemed”:

FIRST, IN PSALM 91:11, WE READ IN THE BEGINNING, THAT “GOD WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU, TO GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS.” Are you at all familiar with “green lights” or “red lights” or “yellow (caution) lights”?

If you’re a Word of God student, you know that in Hebrews 1:13-14, the author declared: “But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, UNTIL I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”

In Titus 3:5-7 Paul taught Timothy and us, that “He (Christ) saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

And as “eternal insurance” caring God gives us not only His Word but His angels to see us through this dark maze of men’s and the world’s “self-imposed godlessness”!

Whether you as a true believer have heard it or not, whenever trouble comes to a son or daughter of faith, the angels sing about God’s divine protection! They sing of His abiding Presence every step you take in your walk of faith.

When trials come, the angels’ song of triumphant victory is sung, rings out, and covers you! When traps are laid by the powers of darkness, the angels sing about the door of deliverance! When the deep seas and oceans of life erupt in destructive waves by devilish powers, the angels are singing, “Peace be still!”

Can you even begin to imagine the roars of the Heavenly Chorus of Angels when the true believer takes his last breath of earthly, fleshly existence, and is then welcomed by the angelic chorus to the Heavenly Presence around the throne of God and the King of kings?

SECOND, THE ANGELIC SONG OF THE REDEEMED IS THE SONG THAT HONORS THE KING WHO STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS THRONE TO TAKE ON HUMAN FLESH, SERVE THE NEEDY, AND BLESS HIS PEOPLE IN SACRIFICIAL TESTIMONY AND GOD’S TRIUMPHANT WAY OVER SIN AND DEATH!

Do you remember Mary standing outside Jesus’ tomb weeping, and then, as she stooped and looked into the tomb where the body of Jesus had been lying, she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been lying. Then said to her, “Woman, Mary, why are you weeping?”

She said to the angels, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” Then Jesus appeared to Mary, and she initially didn’t know who the Resurrected Jesus was – she supposed Him to be a gardener! But Jesus spoke: “Mary!”

Dare I tell you, Mary grabbed Jesus and held on and in Hebrew called Him ‘Rabboni’! Graciously Jesus spoke to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”

John 20:21 says, “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord, and that He said these things to her.” Do you think she may have sung “a new song”? Maybe B.B. McKinney’s “He Lives On High”? [The American Hymnal, by Robert H. Coleman, Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee. 1933].

“Christ the Savior came from heaven’s glory, To redeem the lost from sin and shame; On His brow He wore the thorn-crown glory, and upon Calvary He took my blame.

He arose from death and all its sorrow, To dwell in that land of joy and love; He is coming back some glad tomorrow, and He’ll take all His children home above.

Weary soul, to Jesus come confessing, Redemption from sin He offers you; Look to Jesus and receive the blessing, there is joy and victory!

He lives on high, He lives on high, Triumphant over sin and all its stain; He lives on high, He lives on high; Someday He’s coming again.”

Yes, and He gently knocks on your heart’s door: “Open – and I will come in to sup with you, and you with Me!”

THIRD, THE ANGELIC SON OF THE REDEEMED IS THE SONG OF JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS.” THAT’S LUKE 15:10! A redeemed heart causes the angels to sing! A sinner transformed is the eruption of angelic hymns of praise and thanksgiving! A redeemed life is the key and the eternal note and music of angelic songs of praise and thanksgiving and the Hallelujahs of “Blessed Blood Redemption”!

Heirs of immortality, blessed with Holy Presence, are continually over-shadowed by angelic choruses of thanksgiving and praise! Recipients of Sovereign grace and mercy become the celebration ‘key-notes’ of Heaven’s Eternal Praise, Presence, and awesome angelic choruses of hymns and praise!

Psalm 34:7 declares: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.” And you’re unsure that “rescue angels” have a reason for singing?

Have you wrapped your mind, your heart, your spirit, as a redeemed child of God around Psalm 98? Do you think it just might be an angelic song about REDEMPTION? BLOOD REDEMPTION THROUGH THE MESSIAH, EMMANUEL, or “GOD WITH US”?

“O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.

The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the lands of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout joyfully to the Lord with the lyre; with the lyre and the sound of melody, With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and all those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing for joy Before the Lord; for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”

HEAR ME!! SINGING HYMNS OF PRAISE is because redeemed sons and daughters of God join in with Heaven’s angels to exalt gratify, rejoice in, thank, and praise the King of kings and Lord of lords who came and sacrificed His life for you and me!

Again, what did Jesus tell the scribes and Pharisees about “one sinner who repents”? Luke 15:10! “I TELL YOU, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Angels sing? Angels rejoice? Angels celebrate THE “Amazing Grace” of a redeemed sinner blessed with the gift of Resurrection Life? Angels gather, angels take their trumpets, their horns of celebration, their drums of unceasing joy and blessing of God’s “new-born” sons and daughters of faith, and they sing?

Angels KNOW THE WORD OF GOD, not the flimsy reasons of pretenders and preachers, yes, many unsure of “everlasting life”? Yes, “there is joy in the presence of God over one sinner who repents.”

Angels HAVE HEARD JESUS SAY OVER AND OVER, (John 10:27-30), “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

FOURTH, THE ANGELS’ SONGS OVER THE REDEEMED ARE, SHOULD BE, MUST BE, THE CONGREGATIONAL SONG OF THE REDEEMED OF GOD’S AWESOME MERCY, OF HIS EMANCIPATING GRACE, AND HIS LIBERATING POWER TO THOSE YOU LOVE, CARE ABOUT, PRAY FOR, AND YOU CELEBRATE IN THE DEVIL’s KIDS BECOMING SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ETERNAL FAITH AND HOPE, CELEBRATING THE “NEW COUNTENANCE” OF A REDEEMED HISBAND, OR A WANDERING WIFE BROUGHT HOME, SONS AND DAUGHTERS CAPTURED BY THE MASTER’S GRACE AND MERCY POURED OUT THROUGH LOVING PARENTS, OR THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATE ENSLAVED TO THE PASSIONS OF THE UNGODLY, FREED FROM BONDAGE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU IN JESUS’ EVERLASTING PROMISE OF ONENESS WITH HIM, THE FAMILY OF GOD, AND WITH THE HOLY ANGELS!

Today, God calls for true heroes of saving faith, of the blood redemption through Christ’s Cross, that they be men and women whose heart’s desire is to honor their Master and Lord and Loving God and the Holy Spirit, through their awareness that Christ’s work of redemption is God’s willingness to establish the Kingdom of Heaven ON EARTH through their repentant hearts and their redeemed lives, becoming God’s gathering of born-again believers whose very lives become God’s Throne on earth, and their hearts and homes becoming “open doors” to a needy world.

Does it have to be said of You, “Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night”, because you live with a songless faith or purpose? [Job 35:10].

But what if you know “the angels’ song of TRUST”? Job 13:15, “Though He slay me, I will hope, I will trust in Him.”

HELL MAY ERUPT – BUT HEAVEN ON EARTH OVERCOMES! DEMONS MAY ROAR – BUT ANGELS AND SAINTS REJOICE. FALLEN HUMANITY, CURSED NATION,GODLESS GOVERNMENTS, may celebrate their decadence, but the redeemed of the lord and the heavenly chorus of the angels sing: “AMAZING GRACE”!!

CHAPTER SEVEN

“THE DIVINE MIRACLE OF A TRANSFORMED MIND”

I was recently reading a new book by pastor-friend, Jim Hylton, entitled “Being At Ease”, subtitled Thinking At Ease – Lessening Disease. It is a powerful, challenging, encouraging, informative read that every disciple of Christ ought to read. My son, Scott, bought the book for me and had Jim sign it with “To Farrell a special friend!” Jim Hylton, with a scripture reference, Luke 12:32, then shared Jesus speaking, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

I’ve often wondered how many ‘pulpit pastors’ have majored on the reality of “kingdom living” through “The Divine Miracle of a Transformed Life”! Are you familiar with Romans 12:2 where Paul challenged the Roman disciples and us saying, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be [‘being’] transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

It was after the Bruce Jenner – Caitlyn Jenner diabolical disaster that Sue and I heard a psychiatrist, Dr. Paul R. McHugh, speaking about Jenner, and spoke of “the disorder of assumption” – and I’ve often wondered about how many so-called ‘Christians’ who are “pretenders” having never experienced, lived by, or taught the truth of “The Divine Miracle of a Transformed Mind,” but are, too many, ‘professors of faith’ who will someday fall into the perilous state of Hosea’s word from God when in Hosea 4:6 the prophet recorded Holy God saying, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”

To be ‘found in Christ’ is what Jim stated as “the mystery of God” or the “secret of God”, quoting Colossians 1:26-27, [The Message Version of the Bible], “This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of his or her background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you; therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple.”

But the sad reality for many, even some ‘professors of faith’, is never being possessed, owned, bought, indwelt by Christ, through repentance toward God and faith in His finished work at Calvary’s Cross, resting in “saved by grace through faith”, and being declared by God Himself as a true son or daughter of the blood redemption, but living with or contending with or conquered by the sad reality of a worldly mind with no eternal purpose, practicing mental and spiritual gymnastics apart from the thoughts and truths of God, even educational geniuses of worldly thought apart from the thoughts, truths, or mind of Holy God, or, yes, even a redeemed life with an uninformed mind or a born-again believer living on a starvation diet apart from the ‘bread,’ the ‘milk’, or the ‘meat of God’s Word’.

Pre-salvation is a state of mind and heart, void of redemptive faith, but governed by an attitude of “enemies of God”, “helpless”, “hopeless”, yet loved by God to the extent of the sacrifice of His Son on the cruel Cross that we might be redeemed through “the blood of the Lamb,’ reconciled, regenerated, restored to His eternal state and plan as sons and daughters of true redemptive faith, “sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling” (1 Corinthians 1:12), no longer enemies or pretenders or professors, but “possessors” of Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope that is eternal!

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 Paul gloriously declared, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we thus judge: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM.”

Are you at all familiar with Ezekial 11 as God informed the prophet and Israel and us of His “New Covenant” that was coming? Verses 19-21 declares: “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes (or My Word) and keep My judgments and do them, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord.

There’s a description in Isaiah 28:14 about scornful men in Israel who lived in deception, professing one thing, but living another, even the religious majority of Israel , living in deception with their idols, with sexual immorality, and the shedding of innocent blood as some offered their own children as bodily sacrifices in God’s Holy Temple! Isaiah 28:15 tells us of many in Israel who “made a covenant with death”, even admitting, “For we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”

And in Isaiah 29: 13-16a Holy God prophetically declared for both then and now, Therefore the Lord said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, BUT have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; [my son, Scott, described it as “shock and awe”!], for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.” Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, and their works are in the dark; They say, ‘Who sees us?’ and, ‘Who knows us?’ Surely you have turned things around!” In fact, earlier in Isaiah 1:12-21, Holy God spoke:

“When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies – I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting !!! Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. IF you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. How the faithful city has become a harlot!”

What you’ve just read is a sad indictment against “pretenders” who “profess” religious loyalty but deny “blood redemption” through the sacrificial Lamb of God! It’s like Moses and Aaron confronting the Pharoah of Egypt with Pharoah saying in Verse 2, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go,” telling him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness,’” eventually leading to Pharoah and his armies being swept away in the Sea of God’s judgment!

If you are familiar with the Psalms, you’ll remember in Psalm 1:1-2 that David described “the blessed man” who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night;” then stating in Verses 4-6, “The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Psalm 2 then unveils “the realness of rebellion”, which is people plotting “vain things”, taking personal counsel against Holy God! As a result, in Verse 4-5, God describes “the rareness of personal laughter” because Holy God, yes, does and will “distress them in His deep displeasure”! Oh, but then in Verse 6, Holy God unveils “the revelation of compassion” as He sets His King on “My holy hill of Zion” called Mt. Calvary! Then, Verses 7-11, Holy God introduced “the richness of relationship”, Yes! “You are My Son, today I have begotten You,” with holy sons and daughters, “serving the Lord with fear, and rejoicing with trembling” faithfully “kissing the Son” because they no longer have any desire to experience God’s anger or perish in their self-centered ways, but long for, pursue, and rest in “the blessing” of putting their trust in Christ Jesus only!

“The Divine Miracle of a Transformed Mind”! I find Colossians 3:16 to be such a powerful word of encouragement as Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

How did David describe this attitude of heart and mind in Psalm 100? “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.”

I, years ago, highlighted Psalm 34 as one’s “Lordship Ministry”, 1) Calling for a life of praise, “I will bless the Lord at all times,” 2) Calling for a life of continual seeking of Him and His will and Word, Verse 4, 3) Becoming aware of His “birthing changes”, Verse 6, as this Poor man cried out, the Lord hearing, and saving him out of all his troubles, 4) Verse 7, Awed by His release of angelic ministries, 5) Awed in Verses 15-16 by His fastened eyes and opened ears to the cries of His righteous ones, 6) Promising us deliverance, Verses 17-18, as the “righteous cry out to Him, God hearing, and God delivering them OUT OF ALL THEIR TROUBLES!” Hear me! Verse 18, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit,” 7) With a firm declaration of Lordship ministry! Verse 19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Our Lord and Savior transforms trouble into triumph, pain into praise, even ‘wars’ into righteous deliverance!

In the process of “The Miracle of a Transformed Mind”, at times the walk of a true disciple is faced with the clouds of terror, the clouds of temptations, the clouds of triviality, and, for some, the clouds of fleshly treason against the One True Living God and the Resurrected King of kings and Lord of lords, and even against the Holy Spirit! At the same time, God empowers His true disciples to exercise fortitude in the midst of faithless, formidable, frightening opposition! And “The Miracle of the Transformed Mind” is KNOWING there are consumers of religious fabrications or confessors of eternal Truth!

Some walk in their path of redemptive faith apart from the divine revelation and explanation of God’s eternal intent that His children of faith live, not under a man-made philosophy, but under revelation of holy truth and divine authority! In Colossians 2:1-10 Paul wrote:

“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and YOU ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, who is the head of all principality and power.”

How clear was Paul to the Ephesians and us, when he instructed “the saints who are in Ephesus, and [the] faithful in Christ Jesus”, testifying in the Lord, that [Ephesians 4:17-24], “you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, AND THAT YOU PUT ON THE NEW MAN which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” How awesome is that?!?

Do you understand, receive, and walk in “the new beginning”, that through Christ Jesus alone God has granted to you “a new spirit” under a “new covenant”, miraculously birthing “a new creation”, instructing us to sing to Holy God “a new song”, yes, with “shouts of joy”? The biblical command you read in the previous paragraph is: “put on the NEW MAN which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Colossians 1:6-7 declares: [NASB], “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord [or received Christ Jesus as Lord over your life], so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and NOW being built up in Him and established [or “made to stand”] in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

If Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life”, and you are now “in Him”, are you experiencing day by day resurrection life, resurrection power, resurrection presence, and resurrection hope? Do YOU think, ‘as He is so am I’? If Jesus IS “the Light of the world”, and He now lives in you, how do you explain unfruitful works of darkness in your pilgrimage with Him? If Jesus ‘overcame’ and He lives in you, then why is there, in you, at times, the ‘overcoming spirit’ of the world of lawlessness, indifference, or ingratitude?

Or, for you, with Paul, does “the thorn in the flesh” speak to you at times? In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 the apostle alerted us, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“The Miracle of a Transformed Mind”? Though ‘birthed in the world with an old sin nature’, and ‘thorned in the flesh’ by the devil and demons, even ‘held captive by a godless world spirit’, the Savior came whose Name is Jesus, and the “new day” dawned for a blessed deliverance.

Though ‘birthed in bondage’ as a slave to the sin nature, blackened in mind and heart to a destructive life, void of trust in God’s eternal purpose, mankind wandered in a world of unending strife.

Though ‘best’ effort arose in place of a ‘blessed life’, humanity continued in godless strife; “I am able to do as I please” without a thought of sin’s dreaded disease – a state of mind, a darkened heart, a fleshly will that set God apart. No need of Him – we’re fit and trim, happy in sin, unaware of any consequences.”

Though ‘birthed in spiritual death’ sinners sincerely try to make sense of their emptiness, their godlessness, their imaginary happiness, even declaring for themselves that darkness is light, that self-determination is might, and that willful rebellion to Holy God is a fleshly right.

Though going through life in defense of self-will, they blind themselves to God’s holy will; and walking alone apart from divine purpose, fallen mankind walks in pride and arrogance, never knowing their spiritual emptiness and brokenness, never receiving the gift of God’s mercy and graciousness.

Though granted by God with an awesome free-will, most men in their selfishness never take time to be still; time to look inward, time to look upward, for most men is time to be selfish, time to be enslaved to the pleasures of flesh, but no time to look inward to their godless existence!

Though challenged by God and calling men out, most will relax in their sin-natures of drought, deaf ears to God and eyes that are blinded to God’s invitation and His awesome provisions – oneness with Him and His blessed intent to fill each new heart with Sovereign promises, His Holy Presence, and a heart of assent, raised from death to life, from poverty to wealth, a child of the King in His family of the blessed!

“The Miracle of a Transformed Mind”? I close with Paul’s words to the Philippians in Philippians 3:7-14, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have (fully) apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Amen?

CHAPTER EIGHT

CONSIDERING A WORLD OF ABSURDITIES

When individuals go through a God-created, God-ordained, and a God-sustained world without any consideration of His intent, desires, and pleasures, they void from their lives the awesome discovery of God-blessed lives. Without hesitation, a ‘God-less world’ is ‘a world of absurdities’!

An ‘absurdity’? The ‘Random House Collegiate Dictionary’ of 1975 defines it as “contrary to all reason, or common sense, illogical, ridiculous, untrue; absurd, ridiculous, preposterous, inconsistent with reason or common sense.” I then liked the dictionary telling me ‘preposterous’ “implies an amazing extreme of foolishness.”

That definition may be why the Holy Word of God tells us in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

You do understand that highly distinctive people you meet in your lifetime can be superbly blessed people who look inward to themselves and their upbringing with no consideration at all of God’s divine intent or eternal purpose for His reason, desire, intent, or purpose for their existence – they just ‘journey’ in love with who they are and no consideration of “WHO” God IS! They ‘journey’ void of the awesome treasure of being “reconciled to Holy God”!

Just as sad is the person who acknowledges “God is” but has no intention of giving Him His desired place in their hearts and lives, content to make “my way in my world by my personal choice of ‘god unto myself’”!

A little more than two thousand years ago Holy God used strong, influential, political and religious figures of the day, powerful men, to bring about the awesome historical reality of the crucifixion of His Son, the Promised Messiah, not even understanding that they were ushering in His eternal plan of “blood redemption.”

Here’s God’s eternal heart: John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him [trusts in, relies upon, adheres to] should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Superbly blessed people, endowed by God with certain inalienable rights, often “choose” in moral stupidity, to go their own way with no concern for the awesome love of God and His eternal purpose in and through His Son and the only Savior from sin and death! Multitudes turn blind eyes and deaf ears to His unchanging love and awesome sacrifice choosing recklessly to go their own way void of eternal intent and purpose.

Selfish utilization of divine intent is the “door-closer” to eternal intent of heavenly blessing! When Paul wrote Ephesians 2:10 he had been sovereignly blessed with the eternal awareness that he existed in the divine plan through the heavenly door of Resurrection Life, Resurrection power, and Resurrection purpose and intent: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Unselfish living is the “door-opener” to dynamic living of a life honoring the reality of the “Indwelling Christ”! It’s that “sentence of death daily that the Resurrected Christ may be manifested in mortal flesh.” There is not a redeemed person living void of eternal intent – every new-born believer has been “gifted” by the Holy Spirit, yes, in some dramatic way, to honor and glorify the Indwelling Christ as they willfully choose to express His love and prove His power.

In 2 Timothy 1:9-11 Paul testified about ‘the gospel according to the power of God’ that He “saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, and apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

It should be so very clear to you that every disciple has a true, distinct, God-honoring call through Christ Jesus, their Savior, Lord, Master, and Guide to the Father’s glory. I want to major on two things in this teaching: First, Our Calling, and Second, Our Commission.

First, Our Calling. Did we just read in 2 Timothy 1: 9, that ‘the gospel according to the power of God’ is that He “saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” which tells us of Creation, the Fall, and God’s determination of the need of “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.”

How clear do you find 2 Timothy 1:10 about “God’s own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus BEFORE TIME BEGAN”, “now revealed (clearly) by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH AND BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL,” opening the Door to:

• Following Christ as Lord, Savior, and Master over our earthly existence, transforming fleshly life into Heavenly Presence! “Christ in you the hope of glory”! What did Jesus say to His first and all disciples after them? “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” When the Savior and Lord of life calls you it is the calling of hearing, submitting, and following His Sovereign leadership – a new door opened to touch the world around you with His love, grace, and mercy! We extend His life, express His love, and offer His power to transform others!

Paul said Christ “abolished (spiritual) death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,” and that ‘life and immortality through the gospel’ births disciples submitted to His Lordship and His eternal purpose, “I came to seek and to save that which is lost,” which results in

• Disciples who worship Him and submit to His Lordship and leadership! “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but you do not do what I say?” Worship apart from submission? Worship apart from doing what He says? Worship apart from yieldedness to the divine intent of expressing His love, sharing His power, and expressing His eternal desire to reconcile all men to Himself?
• Are YOU the tree “planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither; and does what prospers and honors His Master, Lord, and Savior”?
• Examine “the fields” around you! In John 4:34-38 Jesus said: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”
• Be ready, be prepared for His coming to you and for you! I often wonder if any consider regularly as they arise, “This may be my final day, hour, or breath. Am I ready to meet my Lord and Savior? Have I fulfilled all He asked of Me?” I tell you: This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Gladness or grief? Gladness or sorrow over His unfulfilled desires for your life, walk, and witness? Gladness in obedience or sadness in your failure to fulfill His calling?

SECOND, CONSIDER A WORLD OF ABSURDITIES! Did I begin this teaching emphasizing ‘a godless-world is a world of absurdities’? I said, “When individuals go through a God-created, God-ordained, and a God-sustained world without any consideration of His desires, His intent, or His pleasures, they void from their lives the awesome discovery of God-blessed lives”!

They ‘breathe’, and have no appreciation of God’s blessing – breath to them is ‘natural’, not super-natural, human without any consideration of divine intent, one’s fleshly ‘best’ without even a thought of eternal purpose, divine will, or sovereign significance!

• Consider a world of absurdities that there is willful sinfulness and no recompense! Have you never heard Romans 6:23? “For the wages of sin is death…”!

What did the Apostle Peter write in 2 Peter 2:1-22? But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked

(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) – then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority.

They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime.

They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire’.”

Sin without recompense? That’s destructive heresy! Sin and no penalty? That’s the devil’s lie and the sinner’s reward! Sin and no judgment? That’s the destructive way of denying the word of truth and blaspheming the very Name of Christ! Sin and no consequences? Paul said under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

• Consider a world of ‘profession’ but no possession. Our Lord and Savior declared in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

A profession but no possession! A talk but no walk of true faithfulness and submission. A song but the wrong writer, wrong theme, and wrong intent, which is ‘pumping flesh’ and strangling the Spirit! Though dressed like a sheep, they walk inwardly as ravenous wolves! That’s ‘planked eyes’ that cannot see revealed Truth! That’s lives hearing the sayings of Jesus but never does them because their ‘house of faith’ has no true foundation, and when the floods come and the winds blow and beat on that ‘empty house’ of professed faith, it falls – and great and sad and eternally lives with its reward: kinship with the devil and his demons and a condemned world of faithless people! Jesus will say, “I called, but you refused; I implored, but you ignored the call of the laid-down life; I entreated, but you retreated into your own spiritual world of ‘make-believe’ when I invited you to heaven on earth!”

• Consider a world of ‘claimed allegiances’ but with no responsibilities, accountabilities, or true devotion! To Titus Paul wrote in Titus 1:10-16, “For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
• One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD, BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, DISOBEDIENT, AND DISQUALIFLED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

Profession is not possession! This is why in 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Paul declared: “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ THROUGH the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are SANCTIFIED IN CHRIST JESUS, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Called to be saints? That means “set apart” by God from enmity against God in the flesh to oneness in Him in the Spirit through the sacrificial death and resurrection of God’s Son and our Savior by repentance toward God and faith in Christ’s finished work at the Cross!

But, sadly, some have been deceived by the powers of darkness, that they cannot but sin until they get to Heaven one day when Jesus said, “Go and sin no more”!

I’m not surprised at all that Paul had to expose those who taught opposite of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, yes, denying the ‘doctrine which accords with godliness’, saying that they are ‘proud, knowing nothing, even believing ‘that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.’ [1 Timothy 6:3-13!].

Before Christ – alienated from God; In Christ – united with God! Before Christ – enemies of God; In Christ – one with God! Before Christ – owned, controlled, dictated to by the powers of darkness; In Christ – transformed into sons and daughters of the Holy Family of God!

Paul closed out his writing to Timothy saying in 1 Timothy 6:20, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is called knowledge – by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.”

Some live by ‘grit’ apart from grace and receive an unbeliever’s reward rather than “blessed in and through Christ alone”! Sainthood is a life lived in continual gratitude to Holy God for His amazing love and awesome grace!

CHAPTER NINE

“ FAITHFULNESS OR DISTRESSING DISGUISES?”

I don’t know how you’ll respond to the title of this chapter because only you really know the secret chambers of your heart and mind. Why? Appearances can be deceiving; outward ‘show’ can be simply fictitious, uneventful heart-change, or a desire not to be exposed for what one really believes.

It was C.S. Lewis who once wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because of it I see everything else.”

But then in a real world of life and death, success or failure, blessing and disappointment, true examples and pretenders, wise or blinded, divine fruit or diseased or dis-eased citizens, people will either “press in to Him” or fall away by their own free will.

Don’t you find it interesting, convicting, and challenging, that in Revelation 2:10b, Jesus tells us: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”? Is it possible that some begin the walk of faith, are faithful for a period of time in what they know, and then walk away? “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Are bad turns made away from the highway of holiness that lead to ‘dead-end’ places? Does disappointment in one’s self or others mean, “I choose to be disappointed in Jesus also”? If a ‘Texas dust storm’ can restrict your vision, can a believer’s storm of doubt cast dark shadows on one’s devotion and allegiance and all-out surrender to the King of kings and Lord of lords?

Oh, and hear me – can a preacher-pastor’s ‘falling away’ be the ‘straw that breaks the camel’s back,’ and you decide, “I want nothing more to do with ‘phony Christianity’?

In Ezekial 18:23 God spoke: “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” And whatever is opposite of the Word and the will of God and His ways is determined wicked and brings a judgment of death – and God says, “turn from YOUR ways and live!” He went on to say in verses 31-32, “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord. “Therefore turn and live!”

I know, and I assume you also know, that there are “distressing disguises”! It’s so evident by spiritual blindness, unholy hearing, willful rejection, painful indifference, yes, even deeply-wounded scars from spiritual events of the past that one holds on to, residence in a jail of unforgiveness because someone, somehow, somewhere led them down, they believe, to a place, a practice, a persuasion that didn’t line up with the desire for a ‘godly lifestyle’ but an ungodly lifestyle even when the Word declared and still declares ‘separate from sinners.’

I’m really sorry, but I do not see projected in God’s Holy Word ‘comfort’ or ‘comfortable’ or ‘pleasurable for the flesh’ in a world where Holy Truth is seen as needed to be suppressed and certainly worthless in schools, universities, or any governmental institution locally or nationally!

How dangerous is it for men of all standings, places, ranks, abilities or inabilities, education or the absence of it, to find themselves in a place they don’t feel comfortable, identifying themselves as men unreservedly sold out to Christ so they ignore the church Jesus loved and gave Himself for, going the way of “silent allegiance” when Jesus instructs us to identify ourselves as His true followers and devoted to build up, strengthen, and, yes, laboring for His church-body’s success?!? “Distressing disguises”? Are you ever confronted by those who once have known Truth and then, all of a sudden, because of multitudinous fleshly crises, the door was opened to cast doubt on the Word of God? Sadly, I’ve known men over the years who so devotedly shared God’s Holy Word, but crisis came from business, family, spiritual family, resulting in undefinable criticism, and like a wounded ‘puppy’ they crawl away from upholding Truth!

“Distressing disguises”? Are you aware of those who have been ingrained with partial truth and they profess “Peace, peace! When there is no peace”? [Jeremiah 6:14]. It’s as if the ‘gospel’ they held onto was ‘peaches and cream’ without Jesus’ word, “In the world you will have tribulation!” I would urge every disciple over the next three to four months to devote himself/herself to the four gospels and determine if Jesus ever talked about a ‘trouble-free walk of discipleship!’

“Distressing disguises”? Do you remember in the Gospel of John Jesus telling the scribes and Pharisees that denying Him was the result that they never knew the One True and Living God? In John 8:13 they told Jesus, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” In the eighth chapter alone Jesus told the ‘religious crowd’ about 4 times, similar to verse 21, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

“Distressing disguises”? I hope it doesn’t seriously offend you if I tell you that there are “sticklers” for legalism apart from God’s grace, mercy, and love! On the tablet of stone God carved out and imprinted Ten Commandments that exposed men as true ‘law-breakers’ in need of mercy, grace, and love, but deception blinded men to their true need of God because they graded by the ‘curve’, wanting acceptance by self-effort rather than acceptance through the finished work of Christ at the Cross, with God then writing His love, His law, and His liberty on a redeemed heart! How about your devotion? Is it by law or the very love of Calvary’s Cross and the reality of Jesus’ empty tomb and His present residence in Heaven at the throne of God interceding in your behalf?

“Distressing disguises”? Have you not wrapped your mind around the fact that fallen humanity is fully absorbed in the mind-set and heart-absorption of materialism, and the more one has, the nearer he/she is to God? Yet, our Lord and Savior and True Master of all of life has said, Matthew 16:24-26, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life [for himself] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

“Distressing disguises”? You’ll remember as Moses was leading Israel to the Promised Land there came a time when he went up on the mountain for an alone-time with God that became a long time – and his people became anxious.

They went to Aaron and told him, Exodus 32:1, “Up, make us gods which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what is become of him.” Verse 4 tells us he, Aaron, received golden earrings from the people, and fashioned it with a graving tool into “a molten calf”; and the people said, “This be our gods who brought us out of the land of Egypt.” Then the end of verse 6 then tells us, “and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” God then told Moses, “your people, Moses, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them.”

Has anything changed? What is it that has become your own ‘distressing disguise’? But reality also speaks so loud and clear as when Samuel said in I Samuel 10:19, about some in Israel, “And you have this day rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’”

At least David had the sane attitude of brokenness, repentance, and turning from that which scarred him and others so deeply. In Psalm 25:17-22 he prayed: “The troubles of my heart have enlarged; bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”

I’m sure you’ll remember Paul challenging the church at Corinth when he said in 2 Corinthians 6:12, “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.” And he paid a heavy price for standing in truth! He said to the Corinthians and us in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE. For when I am weak, then I am strong [in Him].”

Paul further testified in 2 Corinthians 13:4-6, “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”

In Christ you are made to soar, not to sink; you’re a new creation in Him to live victoriously, not defeated; in Him you overcome the devil himself and his temptations, not swallowed up in a sea of denial of truth or ocean depths of drownings in deceptions opposite of Holy Revelation, Eternal Truth, and His ever-abiding presence in you!

“Distressing disguises”? I picked up again recently Mark Levin’s book entitled “LIBERTY OR TYRANNY,” sub-titled “A Conservative Manifesto.” I read it several years ago, but on the back cover of his book he had a statement of Abraham Lincoln, spoken in 1864. Lincoln said, “We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name – liberty. And it follows that each of the things is, by the respective parties, called by two different and incompatible names – liberty and tyranny.”

Do you remember the unbelieving Pharoah of Egypt? In Exodus 5:1-2 we read, “Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharoah, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharoah said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.’”

It’s certainly not always true, but it seems, for some like Pharoah, that ‘wealth’ or ‘riches’ lead an awful lot of people to bow down in idolatry and not live in worship, praise, or thanksgiving, with adoration and submission and loyalty to the God who laid down His Son at the Cross! “That’s not MY calling!” – have you ever heard that? “I serve the Lord who blesses me,” yet the Lord God Almighty, Emmanuel (“God With Us”), Savior and Lord, Master of all of life said: Deuteronomy 30:14-20, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, THAT YOU MAY DO IT. [“Why, YOU legalistic God! Who would want to submit to Your Word, Your will, Your way? Not me!”] See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God WILL BLESS YOU in the land which you go to possess. BUT IF YOUR HEART TURNS AWAY SO THAT YOU DO NOT HEAR [and some choose, ‘I don’t want to hear what God says!’] and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today THAT YOU SHALL SURELY PERISH; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

[And just as a reminder if you have questions about what you just read and its spiritual relevance to New Testament disciples, John 8:56 says, Jesus speaking: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”]

“Distressing disguises”! I pastored a church many years ago in which a very visible leader became involved in an adulterous relationship with another church member. In my office he denied it and assured me it never happened.

A few weeks later I received a late night call to hurry to a particular home where the police had already arrived. The church leader was in the home of his adulteress mate with an irate, almost uncontrollable husband.

The church leader had lied and then resigned his visible office in the church. I advised our church officers or deacons that this situation required church discipline, but they all said, “He’s our friend, and it won’t happen. He deserved better than having to care for a sick wife!” Within a short time, God moved our leadership role as pastor elsewhere!

When open sin is ignored it manifests itself in abundant rebellion to God’s Holy Word – I heard years later that adultery, broken marriages, and a suffering church had about died, until several pastors later God placed His man in a strong place of leadership – now, the church prospers spiritually.

“Distressing disguises”! Consider it, examine it, reflect upon it – what’s the result of half-hearted allegiance to a local body of believers, yes, the local body Jesus suffered, bled, and died for? What’s the result of the negligence of whole-heartedness; what’s the result of divided allegiance; what’s the outcome of ‘profession’ apart from possession of the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ; what’s the ‘fruit’ of a ‘couldn’t-care-less’ attitude concerning a needy fellowship of believers?

Is it really possible that believers feel no sympathy for, devotion to, or commitment of their lives to a needy church fellowship or even comfort and healing grace to despondent saints, a battered pastor, or, yes, immature church members? But they find ‘their’ place where the crowd gathers, where the smiles abound, but in far too many living a “laid-down life” is omitted! It’s even happening today that ‘forsaking of the assembling of yourselves together’ is like an old ‘wives’ tale’ – “we don’t need the church assembling”!

I was reading Spurgeon recently. [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Vol.15, pps. 78-79]. He said: “Is it so, that because you are yourself a member of a flourishing church, and because you enjoy all sorts of Christian privileges, you therefore harden your heart concerning dying churches and desponding saints? Do you imagine that the body can be sick, and yet you as a member of it will not suffer? I tell you, if the church of God goes aside it will be to your injury;’ if the truth of God be not preached you will be a loser; if Christian life be not vigorous you will be weakened.”…(p.80), “If you are not creating a holy warmth, the chill of sin is freezing you.”

‘Ice-berg city’ – the gathering of chilled believers! ‘Ice-berg city’ – the union place of divided allegiances! ‘Ice-berg city’ – the creeping sickness of unconscious allegiance to self-birthing of paralyzed infants who don’t know where they came from or where they are headed. The Lord Jesus said in Revelation 3:11, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” [It would be worth your effort and time to research about “your crown.”]

“Distressing disguises”! It was so interesting and challenging recently when in Luke 16:1-13 I read about the parable of the unjust steward. Read carefully and consider your walk as a professing disciple of Christ! Jesus also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods.

So he called him and said to him, “What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.” [I pray you realize “stewardship” has much more to do in your walk than what you “give” in money!]

Then the steward said within himself, “What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.” So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Is Jesus teaching us about faithfulness in ‘little things’? Is He teaching us about money and its blessing or curse? Is He informing us about faithfulness in what belongs to another man? But now, let’s transition from “distressing disguises” to “FAITHFULNESS”! We’ve just witnessed Jesus talking about “faithfulness” in three ways. Is there more in His precious and powerful Word we should discern and apply?

It’s not difficult to grasp or understand or comprehend the subject of “faithfulness” – the battle comes when faith and faithfulness must be exercised and YOU must discern for yourself, ‘a walk of fleshly sight and its desires OR a walk of faith and faithfulness to honor the God of the Cross and the empty tomb!

I do not know or understand how a person reads or hears read Ephesians 2:4-8, 12-13, and determines to walk away from saving grace! It says: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…Verses 12-13, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH AND BY FAITH ALONE! That’s what you just read!

WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH! Examine Romans 3:19-26 very, very carefully: “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Do you remember the lame man outside the temple asking alms as Peter and John were about to go in? Follow Acts 3:6-16, 19-20, 23, 26: Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them – walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: ‘Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pontius Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know.

Verses 19-20, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before..

Verse 23, And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people… Verse 26, To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

WE ARE TO CONTINUE IN THE FAITH. In Acts 14:21-22 Paul was endeavoring to build a solid foundation in new disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. It says: “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND, RECEIVE, WALK IN THE WALK OF OUR HEART, MIND, SOUL, AND SPIRIT PURIFICATION BY FAITH. Acts 15:6-9 says: Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”

WE ARE TO WALK IN THE PEACEFUL REST OF FAITH LIKE ABRAHAM. In Romans 4:1-8 we read of the faith of faithful Abraham: “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

WE ARE TO BE EMPOWERED BY FAITH – NOT IN THE EARTHLY WISDOM OF MEN. I Corinthians 2:4-5 instructs us: Paul speaking, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

WE ARE TO BE AT PEACE IN OURSELVES BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST AT THE CROSS. Galatians 2:20 illumines our minds and hearts as Paul tells us: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Verse 21, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

WE ARE TO BE DILIGENT TO THE END BECAUSE OF OUR INHERITANCE OF GOD”S PROMISES. In Hebrews 6:11-12 we see our calling as true believers: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

WE ARE TO BE WELL-TRAINED, PERSONALLY DISCIPLINED, AS A TRUE SOLDIER IN GOD’S ARMY, NOT GIVEN AN ‘AWOL’ SPIRIT, BUT DEVOTED TO HIM AND THE CHURCH JESUS LOVED AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR. Paul wrote young Timothy as a wise spiritual father, 2 Timothy 2:1-4, “You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Earlier, in I Timothy 6:12, he told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

You do understand that we serve a God and Savior who is so ever faithful to us! In Lamentations 3:22-27 Jeremiah shared both a broken heart because of Israel’s sin but also a peaceful heart and soul because He knew the faithfulness of God’s compassion:

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS!! ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.”

And I have no doubts that this is why Isaiah encourages us in Isaiah 25:1 because he knew God’s faithfulness: “O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”

Because of our Lord’s faithfulness, His people sprout and bear His fruitfulness! Because of our Lord’s faithfulness to us, our faithfulness to Him is not to be a probability but a sure certainty! Because of our Lord’s faithfulness, we don’t enlist for a seat in a church pew but a place in the front-line of a holy war! Because of our Lord’s faithfulness, we’re not to be inventers of simply religious activities but fully surrendered lives available to His presence, power, and promises to be expressed through our available lives!

It was the old “The Defender” who had this quote: “Faith is dead to doubt, dumb to discouragement, blind to impossibilities.” How true!

Off-key lives are invaded by the “Master-Tuner” and discords vanish and perfect harmonies erupt! When repentance toward God and faith in the finished work of Christ at the Cross finds a permanent home, empty barrels become the overflowing presence of His never-ending LIFE!!

Faithfulness is not a philosophy but Divine Presence, holy certainty, continual blessing, and a sacred marriage of eternal bliss!

Faithfulness is the Shining Sonlight of the resident Christ within, the evidence of God’s Holy Presence, and the certainty of the Holy Spirit’s fulfilling ministry in sons and daughters of faith.

It was B.B. McKinney who wrote the old hymn, “Have Faith In God.” “Have faith in God when your pathway is lonely, He sees and knows all the way you have trod; Never alone are the least of His children; Have faith in God, have faith in God.

Have faith in God when your prayers are unanswered, Your earnest plea He will never forget; Wait on the Lord, trust His Word and be patient; Have faith in God, He’ll answer yet.

Have faith in God in your pain and your sorrow, His heart is touched with your grief and despair; Cast all your cares and your burdens upon Him, and leave them there, oh, leave them there.

Have faith in God though all else fail about you; Have faith in God, He provides for His own; He cannot fail though all kingdoms perish, He rules, He reigns upon His throne.” AMEN?

CHAPTER TEN

“WHEN MERCY IS MEANINGLESS BIRTHING FATAL FORGETFULNESS”

I don’t know how you respond when you read a verse like Isaiah 27:11, but it does tell us our Lord is speaking of people who have “no understanding.” It then says, “Therefore He who made them WILL NOT HAVE MERCY ON THEM, and He who formed them will show them no favor.”

I love what Peter wrote about “mercy” as a heavenly inheritance when in I Peter 1:3 he said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” What did Peter call God’s mercy? ABUNDANT MERCY! But there are those upon whom He will have no mercy!

Why is that? It’s ‘fatal forgetfulness’ – mercy is not a ministry of God, an event of epoch proportions, they are interested in. Oh, they may at least on the surface be aware of the mercy of God, but it’s not a road they need to walk down – about like Solomon who said in I Kings 3:6, “You [God] have shown great mercy [Underline that! At least Solomon knew God’s mercy was great!] to Your servant David my father, because He walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.”

Solomon was saying what? “God, You’ve shown great mercy to my dad, and you were merciful giving me his throne, but as for me mercy is meaningless – merit is my ambition and I’ll earn whatever I set my mind to!” Does Solomon reflect at all on modern man today who find mercy meaningless to their existence? Look with me at Psalm 103:17-18,

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.” The mercy of God is for WHO? Those who “fear Him,” to those who understand blood covenant relationship and keep it, to those who sense His commandments are to be kept! [Why do some miss ‘mercy’? “That’s salvation by works”!!]

But, sadly, many are blinded to the misery of fallen sin natures and sense no need to cry out to God for “mercy”! You’ll remember Jesus making that visit to His hometown in Mark 6:5-6 that says: “Now HE could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief…” Does that explain “mercy” as “meaningless” to some people?

Have you forgotten the Galatian dilemma? It explains tons of understanding about “when mercy is meaningless”! In Galatians 3:3 Paul asked: “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”

And do you understand that meaningless mercy is not only for heathens or pagans or the self-assured – it’s for deceived masses in the borders of Christendom who substitute repentance for the rigors of personal disciplines and pats on the back of their self-sufficiency!

But…it’s not what YOU achieve but what you receive as a gift from God! It’s not what YOU earn but what you receive by His grace. It’s not a portrait you paint of yourself but the precious privileges God grants to you! It’s not “trying harder” – it’s trusting God more and more.

Deaf ears, blinded eyes, clouded senses to the nearness of God in a man’s life assign him to a meaningless existence weighed against the eternal purpose of God for one’s life. But put that up next to the story of Joseph! In Genesis 41:50-51 Joseph named his firstborn Manesseh and said: “It is because God has made me FORGET all my troubles and all my father’s household.”

But some men manufacture forgetfulness of God, establishing in their minds and hearts that “mercy is meaningless”, but God mercifully blots out our troubles, blessing us with the forgetfulness of man-made miseries and builds in us Heaven’s blessings!!

Men manufacture forgetfulness of God like a Pharoah who says in his mind and heart: Exodus 5:2, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.” Men easily obliterate the memory of God because they’re bound to the god of self-rule, self-adulation, self-importance, and are comfortable in their state of godlessness and their paralysis of self-analysis!!

But God remains the same! Acts 17:24-31 says: “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

In fact, in Matthew 5:45 Jesus said of Father-God: “…for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous…”

Listen to A.W. Pink in his “The Attributes of God – The Mercy of God”: “…let us note how vain is the presumptuous hope of the wicked, who, notwithstanding their continued defiance of God, nevertheless count upon His being merciful to them. How many there are who say, ‘I do not believe that God will ever cast me into Hell; He is too merciful.’ Such a hope is a viper, which if cherished in their bosoms will sting them to death. God is a God of justice as well as mercy, and He has expressly declared that He will “by no means clear the guilty,” [Exodus 34:7]. Yes, He has said, “The wicked shall be turned into Hell, all the nations that forget God.”

The willful pride of blindness to God’s mercy, the fleshly forgetfulness of God’s graciousness and kindness, the soulish settling on “me, my, or mine”, deludes one into darkened, defeated, devilish, disillusioned misery with eyes, ears, minds, and hearts off of mercy, God’s mercy, into a state of despair, in which one is comfortable because he’s in control!

There are those who even unashamedly seek to defame, deny, disgrace, and seek to delude the ‘infinite efficacy of the Savior’s atoning death.’ IT WASN’T FOR THEM JESUS SUFFERED, BLED, AND DIED ON THE CROSS! Yet II Corinthians 5:15 clearly tells us: “and He [Jesus] DIED FOR ALL, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.”

I was reading Spurgeon recently when he told of a man who decided to keep a ‘tame’ leopard in his home. The man had nursed it from a cub and allowed free roam in the house. The man was sleeping soundly one day when the growing cub licked his hand and it licked a cut where the blood was still seeping…and all the jungle instincts kicked in and the beast began to feed…awakened, the man knew he was in trouble – a life or death situation was before him and he knew it was his life or the leopard’s life.

There was a loaded pistol beside the couch and without hesitation he aimed it at the hungry leopard and killed it!….Whether you believe it or not the leopard of sin, rebellion, disobedience, unbelief, is out to drain your blood – give up your precious leopard of lust, livid sin, furious fleshly instincts – leave them at the Cross where Jesus willingly and gladly took them and yourself upon Himself and willingly laid down His Life for you!! Jesus killed your leopard sin-nature!

I know it’s so hard for prideful men and women to admit the bankruptcy of their births; it is so hard for some and so easy for others to acknowledge high treason against Holy God. In fallen man there are no glamorous genes or heavenly glories or personal worthiness that merits the favor of God!

There’s an amazing confession of King David in 2 Samuel 7:18-22! Hear it:

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: ‘Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant. For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these things, to make Your servant know them. Therefore, You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” I ask you: ARE YOU LISTENING TO GOD?

And before you came to faith in Christ, I’m sure you wondered like David: “Who am I, O Lord God, that You’ve shown me YOUR MERCY?” Without faith in God, mercy is meaningless to many. Without Holy Spirit conviction, mercy is a futile term. Without the historic crucifixion of Christ, mercy is an insignificant, unimportant eternal truth.

But for those who know “the narrow way that leads to life,” they understand deliverance from the pit of destruction; they are aware of God’s lifting them up out of the miry clay of sin and deceitfulness; they clearly grasp freedom from a prison of sin, selfishness, and self-importance apart from God; they rejoice that God’s mercy is His eternal heavenly light, leading them out of the darkness of Egyptian bondage of sin, separation from His “Holy Land,” and the silence of the lightning bolts of eternal revelation and purpose. They know God has shown them HIS MERCY!

But still, for me, there rages an ever-building question, repeated often: “Why, for some, is mercy so meaningless? Why does intentional forgetfulness of God’s mercy dominate so many lives?” WHY?

FIRST, BECAUSE SOME WILL ACCEPT MERCY IF THERE’S NO CALL UPON THEIR LIVES TO WALK MERCIFULLY WITH OTHERS! In Micah 6:8 there is an illuminating verse that reveals why some miss God’s mercy. It says: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

How does one ‘do justice’ when he/she could care less about others? How does one ‘love mercy’ when he/she is so merciless toward others? How does one ‘walk humbly with God’ when they’re so proud and so self-sufficient, void of the need of God to be God in and over their lives?

Come to Matthew 18:23-35 which is such an eye-opening, heart-convicting story that calls for examination of ourselves, yes, testing ourselves to see if we’re truly of the Faith and the faithful: “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [Before inflation that was about $18 million dollars!!].But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had,, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave the debt. But [THEN] that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; [about $18] and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt [$18 million!!] because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry; and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

What does Luke 1:50 tell us? “And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.” It’s why in 2 Corinthians 5:11 Paul wrote: “Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…” Proverbs 1:7 tells us: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…”

Come to Proverbs 14:26-27. “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.” Beside this passage I wrote in my Bible the following statement – I don’t remember if I wrote it or it was a quote, but the sentence says: “Even what one likes, that is not necessarily evil, can become an entrapment of death, like cheese in a mouse-trap.”

Here is Jesus’ amazing challenge to those who believe or border on mercy being meaningless for them and hold no fear of God – Matthew 11:25-28 – At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

SECOND, FOR SOME MERCY IS MEANINGLESS BECAUSE THEY DENY SIN, CONCEAL SIN, EXCUSE SIN, OR ACCEPTING THEIR SINFUL STATE BEFORE HOLY GOD AS NORMAL OR NATURAL! But look at Proverbs 28:13!! “He who conceals his sins [transgressions, wrongs, violations of God’s laws] does not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes and renounces his sin finds mercy.”

Do you remember John’s word in I John 1:7? “But if we walk in the light as He [Jesus] is in the light…the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” I love what Oswald Chambers said about the truly conscious awareness of sin in a person: “The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me.”

Concealment is a covering and convincing of one’s self that sin may be a problem for others but not for the deceived mind. And because of that there are God-sent, God-mandated, even God-initiated consequences in one’s life – like an empty prosperity that never satisfies, like a barking, biting dog in the inner man that never quits or quiets down, like a rich man who loses all his monies because the bank within him is bankrupt, like a criminal who believes he’ll never be caught but lives every moment expecting arrest and final judgment!

I love the call of God on our lives as true believers as expressed by Paul in Galatians 6:1-2 [NIV], “Brothers, if a man is trapped in some sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself; you may also be tempted…Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.”

Listen to John Piper in his book, “A Godward Life,” [p.77], “Don’t be muzzled by the comment that you can’t force your religion or morality on others. You are not forcing it; you are commending it for serious consideration. Declaring and persuading are not forcing. Commending is not coercion. The fact is this: Everybody’s idea about what should be done is guided by some kind of prior commitment. Secularists as well as Christians have a world-view that governs their opinions. Every policy suggestion is rooted in view of how things should be.”

Exposing sin is merciful. Exposing sin is an act of grace. Challenging sinners with the claims of Christ builds foundations of possible super-structures in the new lives He can birth and bless!

THIRD, FOR SOME MERCY IS MEANINGLESS BECAUSE THEY’VE NEVER BEEN CONFRONTED WITH GOD’S CLAIMS OF JUDGMENT. I want you to come to Nahum 1:2-8. “God is jealous, and the Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies; The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, the hills melt, and the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness will pursue His enemies.”

Two things that are easily discernible here: 1) God is ‘slow to anger,’ and 2) God “will not at all acquit the wicked.”

In Spurgeon’s Sermons, his “Memorial Library,” the great English preacher preached on the verses we just read. Hear Spurgeon: “God ‘will not acquit the wicked.’ Let me unfold this, first of all; and then let me, after that, endeavor to trace it also to its source: God ‘will not acquit the wicked.’ How do I prove this? I prove it by this. Never once has God pardoned our unpunished sin; not in all the years of the Most High, not in all the days of His right hand, has He once blotted out sin without punishment. What say you, were not those in heaven pardoned? Are there not many transgressors pardoned, and do they not escape without punishment? Has He not said, ‘I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud, and like a thick cloud your iniquities?’ Yes, true, most true, and yet my assertion is true also – not one of all those sins that have been pardoned were pardoned without punishment! Do you ask me why and how such a thing as that can be the truth? I point you to a dreadful sight on Calvary; the punishment which fell not on the forgiven sinner fell there. The cloud of justice was charged with fiery hell; the sinner deserved it; it fell on him; but, for all that, it fell, and spent its fury; it fell there, in that great reservoir of misery; it fell into the Savior’s heart…It is Jesus suffering all the plagues of sin. Sin is still punished, though the sinner is delivered.”

It was Orin Philip Gifford who said: “You may juggle human laws, you may fool with human courts, but there is a judgment to come, and from it there is no appeal.” I pray you find God’s court of mercy, because in His court of judgment, Daniel 5:27 says: “You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting.”

I want you to be confronted with God’s claim of judgment. In Jeremiah 5:3 Jeremiah asked the Lord, “O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved; You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return.”

Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 6:10, “To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.”

Do you see it? Do you hear it? Do you sense it right now for yourself? GOD DESIRES TO GIVE YOU “THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID.” [Acts 13:34]. SURE MERCIES ARE REDEMPTIVE – God bought you out of slavery to sin that you might be servants of Christ.

SURE MERCIES ARE REGENERATIVE – God takes you out of spiritual death unto His ETERNAL LIFE.

SURE MERCIES ARE REFLECTIVE – we see no longer a man in his bondage and brokenness – we see Christ in His fullness.

SURE MERCIES ARE RESPONSIVE – in Jeremiah 29:11 God says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Hear me! Jeremiah 31:3 says: “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

And I say to you: Sense His tug, surrender to His Sovereignty, and side with our Savior and Lord!!

You may have denied it – but today is the day to side with Sovereign Mercy! It was Edwin Hubbell Chapin who wrote: “Mercy among the virtues is like the moon among the stars – not so sparkling and vivid as many, but dispensing a calm radiance that hallows the whole. It is the bow that rests upon the bosom of the cloud when the storm is past. It is the light that hovers above the judgment seat.”

This is why David came to say in Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

In the old Broadman Hymnal there is a song simply entitled “Calvary”. It says: “On Calvary’s brow my Savior died, It was there my Lord was crucified; it was on the cross He bled for me, and purchased there my pardon free…

‘Mid rending rocks and darkening skies My Savior bows His head and dies; The opening veil reveals the way To heaven’s joys and endless day…

O Jesus, Lord, how can it be That You should give Your life for me, To bear the cross and agony In that dread hour on Calvary!

O Calvary! Dark Calvary! Where Jesus shed His blood for me; O Calvary! Blest Calvary! It was there my Savior died for me!”

Do you grasp it when to you mercy has been meaningless? If you were the only person to have ever lived – past, present, future – what Jesus did 2000 years ago At Calvary, He did it just for you!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the never-ending care of God for each of us!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the measure of God’s forgiving, never-ending love!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the reality of God’s remedy of a godless life!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the explanation of God’s possession of the land of our souls and spirits!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is not man trying harder but hearing Christ say: “It is finished” as He died on Calvary’s cross!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the voice of God saying to a praying man: “Your prayer has been heard” [Luke 1:13].

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the stepping stone into the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the open door into Holy Presence!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is God’s remedy for a man paralyzed by his past!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the healing grace of spiritual amnesia, fleshly blindness, and a darkened heart!

Mercy is not meaningless – mercy is the divine healing of a hurtful, harmful, hideous past!

In closing this teaching, please come to Luke 18:9-14, And He []Jesus] spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“ GOD AND GOVERNMENT?”

Fast approaching my 89^th birthday as of June 12, 2016, I’m disturbed to see a nation and people founded, yes, by God Himself as “one nation under God” but fast becoming, especially among leadership nation-wide as a nation by the people, of the people, and for the people – and, as in life, so in governments, the absence of God releases men to their own control, their own godless philosophies, their own reckless abandonment of “self, ‘my way or the highway,’ and certainly ‘less God because I want to govern myself, my family, my city as I damn well please’”, which reveals a people and nation on the fast road to fleshly decline!

To them, spiritual government is not ‘the American way’! Really? And, of course, they want the Holy Word of God out of government, out of schools and universities, out of homes and families and their own minds, and less and less and less of local and state over-sight – “Who or what government needs the advice or counsel of what some call Holy God, our Creator, Lord, Savior, and Master, because we can govern ourselves as we please, which to us means: keep the Bible out of our public domain and ways of godless living; He has no place telling us what we individually or as families, schools, businesses, or governments ought to be doing!”

It was King David, ruling over Israel by the grace of God, who, in Psalm 67:1-4, wrote: “God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth.”

But do you hear a ‘modern-society’ saying more and more: “God is not necessary in our governments, politically, morally, spiritually, individually or corporately – leave God out of our governments and out of our schools, out of our lives!” Oh, and they mean it – “To us, God has no place in our affairs because ‘good government’ (?) is allowing us to do as we please!”, which means: “less Faith, less guidance, less watch-care, less protection, less blessing of God, less Sovereign-Rule, less divine love, less of His omnipotence and more of our impotence – with many of the warped opinion that, ‘yes, we’re smarter then God Himself’!”

I know that the people of our formerly ‘great nation’ have set aside any “fear of God”. But Psalm 25:12-15 tells us, King David speaking, “Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.”

A “net of Godless rule” is a strong, powerful net that wraps itself around people so powerfully that they end up with spiritual curses, spiritual bankruptcy, spiritual ignorance, and a spiritual destiny they really should not desire. Numbers 22:31-34 is a wake-up call for some people, but, sadly, many national, state, and local leaders have plotted their course, omitting God, His Word and His will.

In Numbers 22:31-35 we read, Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because ‘your way’ is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also killed you by now, and let her live.” And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”

Do you sense today in America, in Texas, in the Bedford, Texas, area a political climate that is, by some, “perverse before Me”, Holy God, the Founder of government to be Sovereignly ruled by Him – not proud, fleshly, independent of and separate from His Holy Word, wiser than God men and women?

How clear are you about Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:2-4 that so relates to God’s people as His instruments impacting ‘godless governments’ and lives in every community? Peter wrote:

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Isn’t it a shameful position that some take, “Keep God and His Word and Truth out of OUR governments – we’ll take care of ourselves in our own way!”

But then, there are those with Peter’s wisdom and understanding! 2 Peter 1:10-11, “Therefore, brethren, [true sons and daughters of the Eternal Faith!], be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

You hear it in all political elections: “No God in our government – we do it our way, man’s way, the way of godlessness, and the way of fleshly compromises, alienating God and Truth from us!” Destructive heresies will seek to gain control, keep control, and hold onto man’s control and ways without heeding the Holy Word! “Alienate Truth and promote ‘our way’, which is the absence of God in our governments!”

Didn’t Peter go on to say in 2 Peter 2:19, “While they promise them ‘liberty’ [from being governed by God or His Truth!], they themselves are slaves of corruption, for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage;” Verse 22, But it has happened [does happen, will happen!] to them according to a true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Are you aware of how many “professing believers”, having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, find themselves easily entangled again in them and overcome, [that their] latter end is worse for them than the beginning?

In 2 Peter 2:21 the servant of God tells us: “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

Now? Prayerful intercession that Holy God, once again, will teach men, political leaders, “the way in which God chooses” – not their supposed “grass-roots” electorate! Accounting Day does come before Holy God at the Judgment Seat for, yes, their ‘political decisions’ (?)! So, newly elected politicians: Will YOU be led by Holy God and His Eternal Word?

CHAPTER TWELVE

“WORLD PHILOSOPHERS OR WILLFUL PROMOTION BY GOD”

There’s an interesting couple of verses for you to examine carefully as you look at Psalm 75:6-7 where the psalmist says: “For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; He puts down one, and sets up another.”

In Psalm 147:6 it speaks of God’s Word AND His providence: “The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.” All world philosophers are not “wicked,” but the majority are “too smart in themselves” to ever see God as necessary in their lives!

Didn’t Paul tell us 2000 years ago, in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”?

Acts 17:16-21 is about philosophical “new things” in opposition to the Eternal Truths of God. Follow it: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit provoked him when he saw that the city was given over to idols…

Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshippers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there…

Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, “What does this babbler say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,” because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection…

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.”

For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

And if you follow it carefully, you’ll discern that ‘world philosophies’ are devotion to “wise things” that really have nothing to do with the heart – it’s all mental and divorced from the spiritual nature of fallen men!

Participants in world culture of which we all are a part does not mean we deny Him but affirm, surrender, and yield to our Lord and Savior who IS the King of kings and Lord of lords! It doesn’t mean we’re “not at home” unless we sell our souls as the majority of the world, but we recognize our “worldly home” is in need of God’s grace, mercy, and love.

World philosophers or willful promotion by God Himself! Read carefully Oswald Chambers in his writing, “My Utmost For His Highest,” [pps.175-176], “Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mount of God. If you don’t obey the light, it will turn into darkness. ‘If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is the darkness!’ The second you waive the question of sanctification [ it means: ‘set apart to the glory of God only’!] or any other thing upon which God gives you light, you begin to get dry rot in your spiritual life. Continually bring the truth out into actuality; work it out in every domain, or the very light you have will prove a curse…The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the smug satisfaction of an experience to which he can refer back, but who is not working it out in practical life. If you “say” you are sanctified, “show it.”… Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent”! What’s that? What pleases me and doesn’t line up with the Spirit of God who sacrificed His all!

World ‘philosophers’ are so adept at convincing people that belief, trust, repentance and faith in Holy God is so unnecessary for the ‘smart folks’ – yet the educated crowd can center their lives in the darkest darkness and call it ‘light’!

It doesn’t take long to discover the worldly, self-righteous individual, or the ‘professor’ of self-satisfaction – and if you stay around them very long you sense a spirit of discontent with all they know and an uncertainty of mind as unbelief always brings on fractures in what they really think.

So often when the Holy Word and the convicting Holy Spirit is shared with a world philosopher, you’ll see and sense degrees of dismay in many because they’re on the threshold of discovering their lost condition and separation from God!

In life as a believer, transformed by the mercy and grace and love of God, aren’t you shocked at times when you see the worldly crowd comfortably seated at a worldly table, easily laughing at any worldly, dirty joke, when in the innermost heart is a person at war with Holy God, embittered by their own set of circumstances, AND WILL NOT LOOK UP TO THE CARING THRONE OF GOD AT THE GOD OF CALVARY’S CROSS?!?

Psalm 4:2 says, “How long, O you sons of men, will you turn My glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?” You realize there are “sons of men” and there are “sons of God”! You understand that there are those whose hearts are cemented in ‘earthly, fleshly values’ that are worthless in comparison to the heavenly treasures that increase in worth and blessing and true enrichment more and more!

In 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 Paul lifts the worldly veil that blinds or hinders true spiritual understanding of the gospel of Christ. He wrote: “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart…

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God…

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

And that will break your heart if it hasn’t already because there are those whom you know whose hearts are ‘veiled’ to truth and whose minds are ‘blinded’ by the god of this age – they at least feel comfortable in their spiritual state of lostness because they are not alone; tragically, they’re blinded to the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, not knowing they reflect the darkness of the devil himself!

“World philosophers”? It was Paul in Colossians 3:2 who said, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” And because you received the death of Christ and your crucifixion with Him, and you died with the result that your life is now hidden with Christ IN GOD, verse 5, “therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

An ‘idol worshipper’? That’s the worldly ‘dude’ who has saved his life for himself because he loves the world and all that it offers, not God! I know that you are not totally ‘brain-dead’ because you look at our world today and you witness ‘civilization catastrophes’ that grow more corrupt and, yes, ‘sinful’ world-wide!

“World philosophers” certainly major on ‘riches’ any way you can get it! But they are void of understanding about what ‘great gain’ is all about. In I Timothy 6:6-10 Paul advised his spiritual son, saying: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out…

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition…

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” When did that change?

I believe when the author of Proverbs 14:24 spoke of “the crown of the wise”, he certainly was not speaking of “the crown of life” or “the crown of glory” because wisdom apart from God’s wisdom and revelations is a false righteousness that does not lead to repentance and true faith. It says: “The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is folly.”

In Proverbs 1:28-33 the ‘wise-man’, inspired by God Himself, gives us ALL a word of warning: “Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord…

They would [have] none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof… Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices… For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them…

But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.”

“World Philosophers or Willful Promotion By God?” Oh, I tell you, God’s Word is so rich and man’s worldly philosophies are so bankrupt! Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Led by the world or led by God Himself?

What did Paul say in II Corinthians 4:3-5? “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age [the devil] has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.”

Willful promotion by God? Bound in the flesh to the world philosophies, ideals, earthly gains, human pride in self-effort, but freed in Christ to divine life, eternal principles, heavenly blessings, holy privilege in sharing God’s faithful provisions, joy in the Lord forever not fleshly happiness, and a crown of glory and rejoicing that does not fade away, with an eternal family under the Fatherhood of God and His Sovereignty!

Willful promotion by God? We’re no longer “slaves of Satan” bound in satanic chains – in Christ we’re “sons and daughters of God” in the Heavenly Family! We’re no longer ‘flavorless’ but we’re the salt of the earth! We’re no longer ‘darkness’ – we’re light in the Lord! We’re no longer empty in the inner man, but filled with the Holy Presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit!

We’re no longer of the unrighteous descendants but men and women who through repentance and faith in Christ have been declared righteous in the very righteousness of God imparted and implanted in our washed vessel of trust in Him! We’re not the “happy hour” crowd – we’re the eternally blessed members of the Royal Family of God! Our identity is no longer slaves of Satan, but now the very children of Holy God! We’re not ‘impersonaters’ of our Lord and Savior, but possessors of His Resurrection Life, “vessels of the Victor”!

We’re not distant stars blinking in the darkened nights of men’s souls but “lights” on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Robert Browning, in “Paracelsus”, wrote: “If I stoop, Into a dark tremendous sea of cloud, It is but for a time; I press God’s lamp close to my breast; its splendor soon or late Will pierce the gloom; I shall emerge one day.” And even when destiny brings us temporarily to a “dark tremendous sea of cloud,” WE WILL EMERGE BRIGHTER THAN EVER BEFORE!

We’re sons and daughters of God’s eternal faith, and though doubt, at times, will try to rob us of light’s glow and meaning, and even when I find myself in my darkest moment as a follower, I choose to rest in Him!

I found it so interesting that the agnostic or atheist, Robert Ingersoll, at his brother’s funeral, spoke and said: “From the voiceless lips of the unreplying dead there comes no word. But in the night of Death, Hope sees a star, [but for him it was not the Bright and Morning Star whose name is Jesus!] and listening Love can hear the rustle of a wing.” Oh, that somehow he learned of the Love of God but I doubt he ever did!

If God gave you “existence”, did He do so apart from eternal purpose? Of course not! His one beckoning call is, “Be reconciled to God,” and in that ministry of reconciliation, the blood of Jesus takes center-stage, first place, the only door through which we can walk into the presence of God! It’s why in Matthew 5:8 Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.”

It was Thomas a’ Kempis who said: “Simplicity reaches out after God; purity discovers and enjoys Him.”

I so appreciate Noah Webster’s description of ‘providence’ in his 1828 Dictionary. He said: “Providence – in theology the care and superintendence which God exercises over His creatures. He that acknowledges a creation and denies a ‘providence,’ involves himself in a palpable contradiction; for the same power which caused a thing to exist is necessary to continue its existence…By divine providence is often understood God Himself.”

The God who made you, is He unable to save, sustain, and complete you to His good pleasure? In Romans 3:24-26 God’s Holy Word tells us: “being JUSTIFIED FREELY by His grace through the resurrection that is in Christ Jesus…

Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Thank God for Chambers’ insight! Listen to what he wrote in “My Utmost For His Highest”: [p.247], “The Gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the revelation which it brings is not palatable. There is a certain pride in man that will give and give, but to come and accept is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom, I will give myself in consecration, I will do anything, but do not humiliate me to the level of the most hell-deserving sinner and tell me that all I have to do is to accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.” BUT THAT’S IT! IT’S ALL OF HIM and not us in the matter of our redemption, our re-birth, and our reconciliation!

He said a few sentences later, “He can do nothing for us if we think we are sufficient of ourselves, we have to enter His Kingdom through the door of destitution.” WOW!

Oh, I’m telling you: Jesus is to every repentant believer the complete and whole treasury of God!

Remember – we’re looking at “World Philosophy OR Willful Promotion By God”!! And when “world philosophy” begins to surface strongly and willful promotion by God takes a backseat, you begin to sense a sad decaying of true faith, an allegiance to the flesh [your old sin nature – so anything goes!], even church attendance by many who have no intention of denying self and taking up His Cross [and our own], and suddenly the Word of God is set aside, truth is left outdoors, and doubt about the veracity of God’s Holy Word takes over the pulpit and the classroom!

Philosophy may give a few insights, but Christ Jesus births “new men”! It was the German theologian, Soren Kierkegaard, who said: “Not until man has become so utterly unhappy, or has grasped the woefulness of life so deeply that he is moved to say, and mean it: ‘ LIFE HAS NO VALUE FOR ME’ – NOT TILL THEN IS HE ABLE TO MAKE A BID FOR CHRISTIANITY.”

AND ALMIGHTY, HOLY, WISE, LOVING, CARING GOD STEPS UP TO REVEAL HIS UNCHANGING LOVE AND MATCHLESS MERCY TO WOUNDED HUMANITY BY OUR SELF-INFLICTED SIN NATURES!

John 3:14-18 illumines Heaven on earth! “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Paul built out of the Cross of Christ and His Resurrection eternal truth!! Look at Romans 5:6-11!! “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die…

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be [being] saved by His life…

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

There’s an old hymn entitled “Grace Greater Than Our Sin.” It says: “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt…Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled…

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss; Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold, Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. What can we do to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, Brighter than snow you may be today…

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within, Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin.”

World philosophers or Willful Promotion By God? It’s your choice!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“SUICIDE A SIGN OF HOPELESSNESS IN CHRIST –

A SIGN OF HELPLESSNESS IN ONE’S SELF”

I’m not sure that even many ‘evangelical Christians’ will agree with my deep conviction about “suicide”, but I must share my despair over “suicide”, and especially when some “professors of faith” see it as a door to heaven! They say, “One doesn’t lose his/her salvation,” revealing that they don’t believe true salvation is believing in Jesus without any concerns about one’s obedience to Him or not, refuting His Word: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’, but you do not do what I say!”

I say to you without any hesitation that “ suicide”, professing believer or not, is a chilling reality of unbelief and disobedience, a ‘cheap imitation of surrender and obedience,’ a dark shadow of death not life in the Spirit, and is nothing more than a spiritual famine, an inadequate supply of biblical faith, and a famine of true surrender and yieldedness to the King of kings and the Lord of lords! It is a devastating picture of the absence of Holy Presence and eternal purpose!

Suicide is a strange word and language to true people of faith, an enemy of Resurrection life, Resurrection power, and Resurrection hope. Suicide is a godless decree of Satan and a sad remnant of either unbelief or a decaying faith! It was Frank T. Marzials, in his writing: “Death as the Fool”, who said: “God help the fools who count on death [or suicide] for gain.”

What does Romans 8:6-11 tell us? Paul had just said, by God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin or because of its ruthless treatment of His created, that He condemned sin in the flesh, {but you believe you can ‘sin in the Spirit”? Give me a break!}.

Verses 6-11, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind IS enmity against God; for it (asserting its ‘self-will’) is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh (even as a professing believer!) cannot please God.

But you (In Christ) are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, IF INDEED THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELLS IN YOU. Now if ANYONE does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you {Big “IF”!}, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit {IN YOU} is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him [God Himself] who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Even the word ‘suicide’ in any man, believer or not, leaves me with the deep conviction that unbelievers or professing believers do not understand, have no conviction about the very sacred nature of physical life but more important the gift of Resurrection Life, and even contemplating ‘suicide’ reveals a ‘train of faith or faithlessness’ both off the “tracks of God” as chief engineer!

Yes, to BE suicidal is the act of rejecting the “Author of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ,” yielding not to Him but the act of imitation ‘priests’, muted, blinded, unyielding to His Spirit and Word! As Christ Jesus is the Deliverer from death, ‘your salvation experience’ is either the modeling of His life and hope, or your oppression, deception, and blindness by the devil.

But, Yes, to be “in Christ” is to possess the Divine Spirit, Life, and Hope within, ruling and reigning, not to extinguish one’s life but extend and express His eternal life in you and through you. There’s nothing formidable or instructive about ‘suicide’ other than ‘pumping up’ the devil and his demons! They celebrate a suicide! Suicidal death is nothing more than an extreme expression of obstinateness and indifference to the will and Word of God and His honor. Suicidal deaths diminish, for far too many people, the Truth of Christ and His victory over spiritual death and spiritual strangulation!

Suicidal death is not a “master-piece” print-out of Resurrection Life but a cheap imitation of His promises. Self-death by human, willful means is one’s rejection of “spiritual life” by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Suicide is not “done with sin” but an open and willful celebration of sin in fleshly cares, woes, and pains!

Suicide is the door to the land of darkness and the shadows of that darkness, the door to the hellish celebration of the dead, the demons, and ALL of Hell’s constituents, plus the absence of any “fruit of the Spirit” but only the “rotten fruit of a misspent life”, honoring ‘flesh’, unbelief, disobedience, rebellion to the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Suicidal death is an announcement of darkness and one’s ‘changed mind’ or desire for it, and a rejection of “Life, Liberty, and the eternal Spirit and His fruit: Galatians 5:22-24, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law, AND THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES. IF WE LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, LET US ALSO WALK IN THE SPIRIT.”

Is suicide loving God or loving ‘dust’, loving the Savior or loving the sensual flesh and its never-ending disappointments, or loving the foolish setting aside Redemptive Faith? Suicide “sinks the soul, the spirit, the very life of true faith”! Suicide is being overcome by fleshly domination, being blinded to the God who saves, heals, and delivers; it is the exaltation and submission to the fleshly manifestations of fear, faithlessness, and the futility of ‘self-effort discipleship’ apart from His promises!

James 4:7-10 says, (This is from the brother of Jesus!), “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Please, let me highlight, underscore, enlighten you more about “willful suicide”:

FIRST, IT IS SELF-ASSERTION RATHER THAN TRUE TRUST IN GOD’S CARE. In Jeremiah 29:11 the Lord God spoke: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Suicide is, yes, the act of willfully rejecting the Author of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ, and giving the devil himself more right to your life than the blood-redemption of Christ Jesus.

As Christ Jesus is the “Deliverer from death”, your salvation experience and continual event is taking the sentence of death to yourself daily that He might rule and reign in you, with you aware of the necessity of giving room daily to His model and eternal reality of divine life and eternal hope, not your oppression or deception by the devil that suicide is spiritually legal.

Suicidal death is honoring flesh, honoring a misspent life, honoring indifference, unbelief, and hopelessness! It’s the extreme manifestation of ‘self-will’, rejecting divine will, trusting my deception more than His Truth and His Trust, and more trust in my misspent mind than His peace, His design for me, and His future hope for me ‘In Him.’

SECOND, SUICIDE IS SELF-DETERMINATION RATHER THAN SOVEREIGN CARE BY HOLY GOD. Romans 6:23 is so clear! “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“The gift of eternal life”? But some disregard His gifts, His provisions, and His fruit, and substitute or give way to ‘best effort’ or a slavish indifference to His revealed truths!

It’s so interesting that in Hebrews 4:14 – 16 the author magnifies Jesus, the Son of God, and us ‘holding fast our confession’, then saying, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.” Obtaining mercy and finding grace is not God agreeing one’s suicide is “OK” with Him!

There was a time in the psalmist’s life when he found “trouble and sorrow.” Psalm 116:4-9 is a powerful testimony. It says: “Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “Oh Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!” Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul. For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."

Further on, in Psalm 118:5-17, there is a song, the psalm, of exalting and praising God for His everlasting, All-sufficient, and never-ending mercy! It says: “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD IS FOR ME among those who help me; therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. All nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

They surrounded me like bees; they were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. You pushed me violently that I might fall, but the Lord helped me.

The Lord is my strength and song and He has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.”

And true believers, born the second time through the blood of Jesus, are raised up, not to give in to the devil’s suggestions, but to expose him and his evil ways – suicide IS an evil way of the powers of darkness! “In Christ”, we have the Great High Priest from whom we obtain mercy and grace to help in the times of need and our greatest ‘stress moments’!

THIRD, SUICIDE IS YIELDING TO ‘THE THIEF’ (SATAN) RATHER THEN YIELDEDNESS TO GOD’S PROMISED OVERSIGHT. In John 10:9-10 Christ Jesus declared, “I am the door. If anyone enters (the Kingdom of God) by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

And in strenuous times, dark clouds, heavy winds, testy storms, some who ‘professed’, like some ‘church-attenders’, yet, sadly, never ‘possessed’ the resurrected Christ, identified themselves, though loyal ‘Temple-attenders and observers’, as what Jesus described as “sons of the devil”! In John 8:43-47 Jesus said of, yes, the ‘religious elite’ of His day, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for HE IS A LIAR and the father of lies. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

FOURTH,SUICIDE IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF DISAVOWING THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH OF CHRIST AND HIS LORDSHIP, DETERMINING, THOUGH PROFESSING, ONE IS REALLY HIS OWN AND CAN DO AS HE/SHE PLEASES. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Paul challenges every ‘professing believer’,

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and YOU (In Christ) are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

No “believer” has the right, the privilege, the choice, of choosing on his/her own what pleases or displeases God, what is “my decision” related to life or self-imposed’ death, or what road or path “I” am to walk on! “In Christ” is not a license to do as one pleases!

FIFTH, IT IS THE CLEAREST ACT OF BETRAYAL OF THE BODY OF CHRIST, OR ALL BELIEVERS, AND AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE WILL OF THE AUTHOR OF DEATH, REBELLION, AND DISOBEDIENCE.

Psalm 33:18-22 declares: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in you.”

The lack of the reverential awe of Almighty God, Christ’s Lordship, and the Holy Spirit’s authority and power, is the “open door” to what you believe satisfies you, not God, not the Spirit, not the Lord Jesus, and certainly, NOT HIS WORD: “You shall not kill.”

Colossians 1:19-23 is an awesome warning from the biblical word “if”. Do you know that word in your own spiritual journey? Paul said: “For it pleased the Father that in Him [In Christ!] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – (“GET READY”!), IF INDEED YOU CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister [or a Messenger].”

“IF” means “conditional” or “will you show Me your devotion by doing My will?” Paul had explained in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus is YOUR author in life decisions! “And He is the head of the body, the church, [all believers], who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, THAT IN ALL THINGS HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.” [And you believe it’s permissible to do as you please as a disciple, even committing suicide?].

SIXTH, SUICIDE IS A SUBSTITUTION OF PERSONAL DEATH FOR CHRIST’S RESURRECTION LIFE, RESURRECTION POWER, AND RESURRECTION HOPE! What did Christ Jesus Himself declare in Matthew 11: 28-30? “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and {by coming to Him rather than the devil, the flesh, or the world spirit!}, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

SEVENTH, SUICIDE IS A SUBSTITUTION OF FLESH RATHER THAN THE VICTORY OF CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK! There is a dramatic convicting passage of Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 where again, Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses against them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

The old has passed away? The old things of flesh indulgence and self-will, or self-determination of life choices, even suicide, has passed away? Is ‘self’ the controlling spiritual influence or “the Christ in you the hope of glory”? And If Christ is the hope of glory in the “new man” in Him, where does the “new man” find, in Christ, an open door to suicide? If God says that by willingness and obedience to Him, He gives the precious privilege of “eating” the good of His land, then its ‘OK” to indulge in the ‘flesh’, even “feeling good” about ending it all by suicide?

“In Christ” one is not granted the fleshly right to do as he/she pleases? “In Christ” one doesn’t have to discern “divine will”? “In Christ” is a lie and one is allowed, though saved, to choose for himself whether to live or die by his own hand? Even though ‘professing Christ’ is a legitimate expression, having done so, have I then the right and rule to determine for myself whether I choose to live or whether I choose to die by my own hand, and it will please the Savior and Lord and honor Him if I betray His Lordship and shorten, end, or cancel His eternal purpose He determined to fulfill through me?

Suicidal death is not the door to eternal life; suicidal death is not a hymn of one’s devotion to His Savior and Lord, but an ‘off-key’, un-tuned horns, phony words of ‘OK’ by the choir director of darkness, evil, and the satisfactions of all indulgent demons! It is corruptible, it is a devilish substitute for the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God, it is ‘the end of life’, not a divorce from its sorrowful bents and turnings and witness, and it is not ‘debt paid for my failures, my rebellion, my indulgences, my rejection, and my determination, and loving God ought to be pleased that I won’t shame Him anymore, because I end my failing life?

Suicide is the devil sealing his ownership by default of trust, obedience, or honor of the Savior and Lord! Suicide is a “mastered piece of hellish art” by the devil of darkness who claims ‘light’!

“Unashamed the devil stands and claps his hands over the suicidal man. ‘Goodness’ to him is you ending your pain, sorrow and suffering in your estimation of your failures, worthy only of ripping your painting of your life off the wall, and letting him celebrate your rejection of God’s help!’”

If the devil walks about seeking whom he may devour, do you believe his invitations are those by which you dishonor God, destroy yourself, giving him room to celebrate another battle won?

It was Shakespeare, in his “Hamlet”, who once wrote: “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil; and the devil has power to assume a pleasing shape,” and in his “hellish, pleasing shape”, promoting his darkness, ‘suicide’ becomes for ‘doubters’ the open door to rest, peace, and good feelings! Give me a break!

Why not “rebuke the devil and he will flee from you”! Expose him not explain him! Resist his demonic temptations rather than receive his deathly trouble! The “suicide-tempter” IS the “unmasked devil” with the intent of one’s horrific death, dishonoring the God who made him, to the devil’s pleasure! You don’t keep the devil in your house – you kick him out! “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer – I (Jesus) have overcome the world and the devil!” Amen?

And if the Lord Jesus has “chosen” us, that is not the “choice” of freedom in Christ to do with myself as I please but yielded to His sovereign will in all circumstances of one’s life, and, be assured, Holy God doesn’t give His “Amen” to any believer’s choice of killing himself/herself but challenges all believers to “LIVE” for His glory, His honor, His praise!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“NATIONAL DAY OF ‘REASONING’ OR NATIONAL AGELESS-RECEPTION OF GOD’S REVELATION, REACHING OUT TO HIM, AND RESTING IN HIS BLOOD REDEMPTION?”

Did you happen to catch the national TV exposure of Prince George of England’s picture of him (a three-year old!) feeding a dog from his ice-cream cone? A ‘brilliant’ (?) British citizen vowed: “I will not rest until Prince George of England is someday denied the throne for feeding a dog an ice cream cone!”

That’s like ‘intellectual’ university professors and ‘intellectual’ boards of directors declaring “belief in God here, validating Him, affirming Him, upholding Him, will not be allowed in this university or our corporate businesses”, while they continue to seal their own ultimate doom by unveiling their ‘intellectual’ stupidity – ‘ national kids’ or ‘dogs’ fed by the immature players of “godless governments”!

But, if there is a ‘man’, a ‘family’, or a ‘nation’ that “FEARS” the Lord, what is the ultimate result? In Psalm 25:12-21 we read, “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He Himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show “them” His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, for (apart from You) I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have (are, will be, about to be) enlarged; bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I Wait For You, the ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD!”

“Nations” ‘taught’ in the way God chooses? Or “nations” dwelling in ‘spiritual poverty’? Are “nations” inheriting the earth or bankrupting themselves? Are “nations” recipients of the “blessings of the blood covenant in Christ” or blinded to those blessings? Are they “plucked out” of deathly situations or descending into them? Do their “troubles” enlarge or diminish, becoming “more desolate and afflicted”, or delivered by the very hand of God from them? Do nations today “wait upon the Lord”, yield to His sovereign leadership and protection and provisions, letting biblical integrity and uprightness preserve, sustain, and strengthen them? Is it “the Father’s world” or, temporarily, has it been confiscated by ungodly, unprincipled, selfish, self-indulgent ‘politicians’ and bankrupt citizens ‘trying’ their “best”, which does nothing but produces “godlessness” and introduces “divine judgment”?

Are you aware of how devoted many ‘nations’, ‘professors’, and ‘godless peoples and regions’ are, “devoted” to the ‘natural’ but incensed about the “supernatural”, opposed to the “seekers of divine Truth and His truths”, even “angry, resistant to, and diabolically opposed to national evangelism, mission, and allegiance to the God and Savior whose desire and intent is on ‘redeeming them’?”

Do you realize the choices, desires, programs, disciplines of spiritual nations in their willful intents of upholding, promoting, practicing, instituting, and honoring the God who birthed them, or fully aware of the “death-nail” deliberations, determinations, and decisions, that “God in politics” is unacceptable, un-national, and “not our ‘cup of tea’”! So they drink the “kool-aid” of “godlessness”!

Will it be the “movies” of the majority of Hollywood’s ‘brainless’, or the message of the revealed Word of God by His “privileged, appointed, anointed witnesses”? Will it be the “messages and basic principles of ‘ungodly professors’ and ‘proclaimers’ of ‘ungodly expositions’ of their “godless nations”, with the intent of constantly educating schools and universities and students in opposition to Eternal Truths, and especially opposed to “the Author and Finisher of True Faith”? Will it be in cities, states, nations, schools, universities, courts, the “expositions” of ‘godless men’ or the profound, prophetic, personalized “TRUTHS” of redeemed men, re-born servants of the Most High God, and available vessels of all the “Redeemer’s revelation- desires to save YOUR world”?

Will it be “living expressions, vibrant testimonies, miraculous occurrings and events and expectations, verbal declarations of transformation in the hearts and lives of men and women, inheriting the ‘good, acceptable, and perfect will of God’, and His mandate and His message and His “good news” to the warped, maligned, shamed images and opened-unveilings of sin’s captives and the devil’s disciples, with the clear, true, distinct proclamation of “new births”, “new names”, a “new covenant,” “new bottles” for the eternal ‘wine’ of holy presence, “new hearts”, a “new spirit”, a “new creation”, a “new name”, and recipients of a “new and living way” – and with all my heart and mind, I am fully convinced that Paul’s declaration in Romans 6:4 was God’s desire and intent, not only for individuals but nations: “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also (individually and nationally) should walk “in newness of life.”

Even in Romans 7:6 Paul informs us, both individually and, I believe, for the nations, “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we (as a nation or individually or corporately) should serve in newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.” “God, please, please, overrule the nations that do not want your compassionate governing and ruling and usher in the next “Great Spiritual Awakening” because of our heart’s desire and Your willful proclamation and willful intervention and divine pleasure!”

National days of reasoning, apart from God, are nations “void of divine counsel” and “victims of godless rulers” and, sadly, “veneers of superficial, fleshly appearances”, giving allegiances to their own ‘gods’, like Isaiah’s vision from God for His own ‘chosen nation’, Israel, (Isaiah 1:4), “Alas, sinful nation! A people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward.”

It’s really interesting as you’re reading through the Word of God to come to a passage like 2 Kings 17:24-29, then Verses 32-36, and see a “nation’s professors” yet remain ‘religious’ apart from “possession” of His Truths!

2 Kings 17:24-29 says: Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities. And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “the nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the land; therefore He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land.”

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let them teach them the rituals of the God of the land.” Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt. {Oh, how delightful! They are really religious, but totally unredeemed!} The “pretense” continued! Look at Verses 32-36!

So they ‘feared the Lord’, and from every class they appointed FOR THEMSELVES ‘priests’ of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. They feared the Lord, “YET SERVED THEIR OWN GODS” – according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

TO THIS DAY they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel, with whom the Lord had made a covenant and charged them, saying: “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; but the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall sacrifice.”

[Dare I tell you? Hebrews 9:24-28 declares that the true redemption sacrifice is “Emmanuel” or “God in flesh”; THAT’s Christ Jesus!] Hear the Word! “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another – He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world;

But now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away SIN by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time apart from sin, for salvation.”

And dare I also say, because of one’s repentance toward God and faith in the Redeemer’s “finished work”, they become, you in Christ become, Temples of Holy Presence! “New Holy Temples”! You, me, the transformed, the redeemed, the blood-bought, yes, by “the blood of the Lamb of God” who is Christ alone!

But hear me! National allegiances to the world, the flesh or old sin nature, and, sadly, allegiances to the devil, the demons, or their dark, enslaving influences, are in many not simply ‘prominent’ but ‘preeminent’ over Holy God and His Holy Revelation and divine will, and in their lame assertions “men at their best efforts” deny Him, have no need of Him or His love, grace, and mercy, saying, “Why does your God think we can’t care for ourselves”?

Because in our own efforts there is no “blood redemption”, there is no “reconciliation”, there is no “seed” of “new birth”, and there is no fulfillment or blessing or miracle of divine transformation! This age of the 21^st Century is fast becoming the “age of grey”, not black or white, but “do as you desire” without any consideration of or devotion to the God of our creation and His Word, His will, His ways – the “age of grey”! But “White”- that’s “washed in the blood of the Lamb” and divinely declared as “white as snow” – not the pigment of one’s skin but the purity of his/her heart! Glory! And black? Hearts fully surrendered and bond in sin and death, bondage and misspent opportunity to know Him, love Him, and serve Him, and ultimately eternal separation in Hell under the awful domination of the devil and his demons, and miserable existence eternally with the “shattered-by-God” because of their stubbornness, unbelief, disobedience, and distaste for the Savior and Redeemer, King of kings and Lord of lords! Enough of “the old man”, the “fallen creation of unbelief” and the “world of rejection of Loving, Caring, Merciful Holy God”!

WHAT ABOUT NATIONS MADE NEW? In Revelation 22 John said, after hearing Him who sat on the Throne in Revelation 21:5 declaring, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes (that’s overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil!) shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and ALL LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

[I believe I would contemplate about God Himself declaring “a second death” that never dies!] Have you never seen that Revelation 22:1-5 declares, not something “out there”, “maybe thousands of years away”, but that as “Jesus comes quickly” into “new born lives” and “redeemed nations”, with Verse 7 assuring us, saying, “Blessed is he [individual or nation!] who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book?” For the sake of nations, please listen, receive, claim, stand on, proclaim Verses 1-5 of Revelation 22!!!It says:

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree WERE FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS.

And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” ARE YOU “IN CHRIST” IN THIS VERY MOMENT AND FOR THE REST OF YOUR EARTHLY DWELLING TRULY ALLOWING HIS LIGHT TO SHINE THROUGH YOU?

GOD AND THE NATIONS OF FAITH? 1. God “designs them”: red, yellow, black or white, they are precious in His sight!”

2. God “delights in obedience or, yes, delights in separating alienating, and destroying the rebellious”!

3.God “delivers them” out of all their troubles, wars, famines, or from ‘godless’, disobedient, faithless rulers!

4. God “disciplines them” like immaturity, childish ‘brats’ until they become mature national “sons or daughters” of the redemptive faith.

5. God “dictates”! It’s His Word or the world’s highways, His Truths or the world’s temptations, His will or the world’s or the nations’ allegiance to their “free-from-God-spirit”!

Dare I apply Romans 14:19 to “nations” as well as “individuals, families, communities, states, or churches”? Paul said: “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one (even “nations”?) may edify one another.” How do you relate, respond, or react, to the inspired word of Paul in Galatians 3:8-9 when he said, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you ALL THE NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED’. So then those (individuals, families, states, and nations?) are blessed with believing Abraham,” which doesn’t insist all nations are submitted, surrendered to, or celebrate Holy God, but many nations KNOW the need of God as Savior, Lord, Redeemer, Ruler, Guide, Overseer, and Sovereign Administrator of their governmental affairs!

I want to close this teaching with a word from Barnabas and Paul about allegiances to “useless things”, (even “nations” doing so!): Acts 14:8-22, And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Zeus, whose (pagan) temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and we preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.

Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Does that tell us that, yes, even “God-blessed” nations have, do, or will, face trouble, tribulations, and trials? Without a doubt! But, “In Him”, “WE SHALL OVERCOME!”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“PRAYER BANKRUPTCY OR PRAYER BLESSINGS?”

If you examined “bankruptcy” in any dictionary, you’d find explanations of ‘individuals’ choosing ‘independence’ even from God, ‘mistrust’ of others including God, or a description of ‘insolvency’, ‘personal rule void of redemptive faith’, and, yes, even in one’s denial of ‘the sad reality of’ “utter ruin” and “total failure”, because, apart from’ “saving grace, mercy, and the love of God through Calvary’s Cross”, one “selfishly chooses” godlessness, faithlessness, darkness, shame-less-ness, indifference to eternal purpose and the need of God Himself to fulfill it! [And that would be, not only ‘unbelievers’, but “professing ‘believers’ in God” who never or seldom pray!].

You’ll remember from the previous chapter and its closing that I made mention of Acts 14:21-23, “And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, and EXHORTING THEM TO CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, and saying, We must through MANY TRIBULATIONS enter the kingdom of God”, but far too many modern-day ‘disciples’ believe (?) they can do so apart from faithful prayer? ‘Continue in the faith’ void of a prayer life?

Even Abraham Lincoln once said: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go,” but ‘prayer’ only when one is desperate, ‘prayer’ only when he/she has ‘bankrupted’ the precious privilege of intimacy with God through prayer, or ‘prayer’ only when I’ve been ‘trusting my flesh-determination’ and not His desire to be my Spirit-power and Sovereign-direction through prayer to hear from and becoming clearer the man or woman He desires to ‘reveal through them’ His presence, purposes, and promises?

Prayerlessness is, as Hannah More wrote about in her writing, “Moses in the Bulrushes”, “O sad estate of human wretchedness; so weak is man, so ignorant and blind, that did not God Sometimes withhold in mercy what we ask, we should be ruined at our own request.” ‘Request’ apart from ‘revelation’? ‘Desire’ apart from surrender to divine will and purpose? ‘Asking’ when it is nothing more than abandonment of service, of trust, or of obedience to what Sovereign God has already revealed?

In fact, through Biblical revelation, didn’t Luke share the dynamic commission of Christ Jesus to His disciples then and now, (Luke 18:1), Then Jesus spoke a parable to them, THAT MEN ALWAYS OUGHT TO PRAY AND NOT LOSE HEART?

“Ought”? It’s the Greek word, “Dei” meaning “must” – it’s divine command not a professing believer’s ‘option’, not ‘sentimental requests’ or ‘fleshly desires’, but true faith, faithful obedience, not the ‘pleasurableness’ of fleshly desires, but faithful, total trust and desire and need of hearing from our Lord and Savior, and faithful yieldedness daily to, “Lord, what would YOU have me to do?”, not coming to Him as broken, repentant, servants to the divine will, purpose, and pleasure, but as a ‘den of a thief’ stealing ‘what I want’ that has nothing to do with His good, acceptable, and perfect will!

Are you aware of the large numbers of men and women and self-centered youths who major on exercise, physical disciplines, outward appearances, but know little, if any, of the faithful, yes, discipline of prayer, fellowship, and communion with the God who loves them more than they love themselves, never aware of what godless prayer lives lead to?

Modern-days are ‘open views’ into the existences of bad moms, godless dads, rebellious kids, phony politicians, faithless teachers and professors, governmental legislators that ‘opt out’, ignore, and even deny any responsibility toward the God who birthed them, desired their lives as vessels of His eternal will, or vessels “set apart” to ‘glorify Him on earth, in human, redeemed vessels, blood-bought, and daily available to Him through the Resurrection Presence of Christ within us as the hope of glory, the hope of Godly governments, and the hope of “glowing witnesses” as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ’! And they, knowing that intent, can manage, if by the best of their own abilities, with no daily asking, “Lord, what would YOU have ‘me’ to do?”

How many do you know who see themselves as “sanctified vessels”, satisfied in ‘prayerless walks’, even sensing a spiritual nobility about themselves though they seldom pray? In Ezekial 36:26-27, (NASU), the prophet heard the voice of God Almighty: “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” If so, how do you stack up with the Word of Scripture in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 that says, “pray without ceasing”? That’s ‘consistently’, which doesn’t mean “on your knees every hour of the day”, but the awareness of regularly, frequently, consistently, calling out to the Lord and hearing His response!

I was awe-struck in reading in Jim Hylton’s new book, “Being At Ease”, sub-titled “Thinking At Ease – Lessening Disease”. He shared a word about a close friend of his: [p.203], “A friend of mine grew up in a fairly dysfunctional home. The most positive thing about his home was there was an attempt to honor God. Yet the image his family had of God led to religion as a duty that made God seem harsh and demanding.

In my friend’s heart as a child were thoughts about God that were pure and perceptive. He knew God loved him and had more for him than he could imagine. From childhood, his mind was wired for high voltage. He was equipped to think with God and ask God to show him His ways and His secrets. I’ll not go into any further details of Jim’s friend’s life story, only to say from a six-year-old visionary, great things are coming to fruition as a “sold-out adult” to the sovereignty of God! And Brother Jim stressed “the power of endless life (in Christ) gives us a sense of continuity and the satisfaction of endless fulfillment.”

And if that is God’s intent for every true disciple, WHAT ARE “YOU” HEARING FROM GOD ABOUT WHAT HE DESIRES TO DO IN YOU AND THROUGH YOU? Or have you just concluded for yourself, “There’s really nothing in me or through me that can benefit God”, rather than, “What is it eternal God wants to accomplish through me as an available vessel?”

1 John 2:5-6 declares, “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN HIM. He who says he abides in Him OUGHT HIMSELF also to walk just as Jesus walked.” Did the Lord Jesus Christ “walk” the pathway of prayer faithfully?

G. Ashton Oldham put it like this: (a quote from the “Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations”, Edited & compiled by Frank S. Mead, Fleming H. Revell Com., Westwood, New Jersey, p.345),

“Prayer is the chief agency and activity whereby men ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH GOD’S PURPOSE. Prayer does not consist in battering the walls of heaven for personal benefits or the success of our plans. Rather it is the committing of ourselves for the carrying out of His purposes. It is a telephone call to headquarters for orders. It is not bending God’s will to ours, but our will to God’s. In prayer, we tap vast reservoirs (or resources) of spiritual power whereby GOD can find fuller entrance into the hearts of men.”

PRAYER BANKRUPTCY? Prayerlessness is a desire within for “no shaking of God in ‘my temple’ of personal satisfaction”! Prayerlessness is the admission that “my time shouldn’t be wasted trying to see God, by my requests, sanctifying me, or making me complete, or assuring me through my prayers He’ll finish His work in me and make me whole, spirit, body, and soul? I’m OK as I am – pray to be preserved ‘blameless’? What spiritual childishness – mature ‘Christian (?) adults don’t need to pray!”

Prayerlessness is an attitude of ‘faith’ in one’s ‘common sense’, not the discovery of God’s will! Prayerlessness is because of fleshly pride in one’s self and one’s own abilities to prove himself/herself “worthy of God” by personal performance, not an answer in prayer to what He desires! One of the things Oswald Chambers stressed about a prayer-less life is “one losing sight of God (and His desires), and one becomes worship-less of Him, and we “become hard and dogmatic”. [“My Utmost For His Highest”, p.64].

Prayerless is confidence in one’s self to live the Christian life the “best” one knows how, short-circuiting the heart of God to hear our prayers and grant us His “best”, His all-sufficient supply of whatever HE KNOWS WE NEED! But some are ‘smarter’ than God, or so they think, and so they don’t pray!

Prayerless is avoiding petitioning God for an anointing ‘with power from on high’ because why ask, why seek, when you are already assured “I can live this Christ-life without God’s help,” so the ‘melody’ of the song of prayerlessness gets more ‘off-key’, more ‘out of touch’, and more ‘in the dark’ without ‘heavenly light’!

Prayerless? “If I ask in Jesus’ name what I need, that’s saying I don’t know what I already know, that’s saying that I’m not smart enough to figure it out, or that’s saying I can’t get His mission done in me apart from Him! He just doesn’t know me!”, so they stay prayerless in their spiritual self-conceit!

Prayer bankruptcy? If Job 42:10 tells us that “The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends”, even blessing him twice as much as he had before, but, “I’ll just trust myself to see me over the humps of life – I can handle it! And I don’t need God’s double blessing, I’m content with what I PROVIDE!” Resignation to dependence upon ‘self’ short-circuits divine intent and heavenly pleasure released from the Throne of God1

Are you aware that prayerless lives indicate no true compassion or concern for others? Job “prayed for his friends”, but for you that’s a ‘spiritual freedom’ from, not necessary as an intercessor for others? I’m telling you, hanging on by the skin of your own teeth spiritually apart from the Savior seeing you through miraculously, without praying, is the height, high height, of ‘self-trust’ – not dependence upon His power and desire to make the difference in us.

Prayer bankruptcy? Jesus said in Matthew 7:11b, “how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” But prayer bankruptcy is the personal notion, idea, thought, “I can handle my own predicament, my own problem, and through my own wisdom, determination, and fleshly wits, I can overcome whatever dilemma I find myself in!” God ANSWERS PRAYERS, but some foolishly live with no desire of being known as one, who through trust, obedience, prayers and faith, become monuments of His grace because they’d like to be known as a ‘gritted disciple proving, I’m able!” “God, help us!”

When you come to the Book of Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 3-6, Paul the Apostle declared, “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, PRAYING ALWAYS FOR YOU, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth…” continuing on in Verses 9-12, saying:

“For this reason [did you heart that? “For this reason…!”}, we also, since the day we heard it, DO NOT CEASE TO PRAY FOR YOU, AND TO ASK that YOU may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; [praying] that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the saints in the light.” [But you see no need for a faithful prayer life around you?].

What on earth was Peter talking about when in 1 Peter 4:19 he said: “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” Committed to Christ is committed to His mission, His cause, His Cross, with the clear understanding that all-out devotion to fulfill the will of God, even through the Cross, IS an open door to our crosses, and we must be faithful ‘prayer-warriors’ about being faithful to the mission, which often IS suffering, but ‘prayer warriors’ pray, God answers, and sees them through to ‘celebration day’!

Do you think I may be shifting to “Prayer Blessings” and away from “Prayer Bankruptcy”? In Matthew 6:5-13 Jesus taught His disciples about “faithful prayer ministries” in every disciple: “when you pray”, “when you pray”, “when you pray,” “In this manner, therefore, PRAY:!!!” It’s not an option I hold, if needed, but the faithful ministry out of an obedient heart in honor of our Lord and Savior, and trust in Him to meet every need we have according to His riches in glory! It’ not “selfish ambitions, fleshly desires, or wandering thoughts” but “shutting the door to selfish things” with the passionate desires of honoring Him through YOUR available vessel, family, or needy friends, as you request meeting yours or their needs!

“Prayer Blessings” are not “wasted air” but truly “eternal aims”! “Prayer Blessings” are the true heart-felt and mind-alerted needs of one’s self and others for the hand and help of Him who is the Living Source of divine help, divine healing, and the divine supply of ‘eternal intent’! “Prayer Blessings” are not fleshly, selfish, irrational requests, but spiritual, unselfish, rational wants of what truly honors and glorifies “Father-God” and the “Loving-Messiah”!

Richard Chenevix Trench, in his writing on prayer, said: [Out of previously mentioned “Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations,” p.348], “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness.” That’s ‘like’ a pianist seeking ONLY the ‘blessed’ keys of Heaven’s Hallelujahs, or ‘like’ an artist mentally envisioning on his canvas ‘divine’ will, purpose, and plan, or ‘like’ a governmental politician ‘longing for’ eternal, heavenly intent through the political arenas of his service! “Not ‘my will’, but Your Will, God, be done in me and through me!” Do you understand what Dallas F. Billington referred to in the old ‘Akron Baptist Journal’?: “Do you know what is wrong with the world today? There’s too much theologian and not enough kneeologian.”

“Prayer Blessings”? Nehemiah gives us a ‘prelude’ of a ‘walled city’ in advance of our Lord’s desire to protect your life, your wife, your kids, your calling, your ministry, your mission as a disciple of Christ through “faithful prayers”! Nehemiah 7:1-2 says, “Then it was, when the wall was built and I had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.”

And “new-born”, “newly-inhabited citadels of faith – your life”, is not a life of ‘prayer blessing’ for yourself, your family, your ‘faith-world’, even ‘world-wide-faith-communities’? GIVE ME A BREAK!!

“Prayer Blessings”? That’s the clear confidence, the blessed assurance, the unshakeable faith, that “ if I ask God for ‘bread’, He’ll not give me a stone”! I believe Revelation 3:14-22 is absolutely necessary here, at this point, as we consider our Lord’s ‘blessings’ through Godly prayer. It says:

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I AM RICH, HAVE BECOME WEALTHY, AND HAVE NO NEED OF NOTHING – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked – I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”, (or ALL disciples!). Are YOU ‘rich’ in the “prayer blessings” of a “Spirit-led disciple” of Christ Jesus?

“Prayer Blessings”? Does 1 Thessalonians 5:17 saying, “Pray without ceasing”, means that true ‘prayer warriors’ never get off their knees? I don’t think so, even for a second, but that true believers live with a consistent, faithful trust, and desire to hear from their Lord and Savior as they “lean not, even to their own understanding”, but give way to His faithful, Sovereign leadership!

One day, recently, I was reading the book, “George Whitfield”, (Volume 1, by Arnold A. Dallimore, [Cornerstone Books, Westchester, Illinois, publ. in 1979], in which Dallimore , contrasting Wesley’s work at Bristol and Whitefield at London, when Whitefield apologized later, saying:

“Alas! Alas! In how many things have I judged and acted wrong. I have been too rash and hasty in giving characters, both of places and persons. Being fond of Scripture language, I have often used a style too apostolic;…I have been too bitter in my zeal [Question: “Flesh or Spirit”?]. Wild-fire has been mixed with it, and I find that I frequently wrote or spoke in my own spirit, when I thought I was writing and speaking by the assistance of the Spirit of God. I have likewise, too much made inward impressions my rule of acting, and have published too soon and too explicitly what had been better kept in longer or told after my death. By these things I have hurt the blessed cause I would defend…”!

Question! In YOUR ‘walk of faith’, has ‘your walk of faith in prayer’ been ‘fleshly zeal’, ‘rash and hasty’, a ‘wild-fire’ without the Spirit of Christ, or His eternal purposes being fulfilled, even as YOU PRAY IN HIM, WITH HIM, and FOR HIM?

True prayer IS a life in tune with the Spirit of Christ in tune with the divine will, purposes, and plans of Holy God, even the “sacrificed life” on the altar of intercession in behalf of others! Prayer is not ‘irrational prerogatives’ but eternal alignments by ‘servants’ with the purposes and plans and power of God alone!

It was a powerful ‘prayer song’ of James Montgomery entitled “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire”, published by the Broadman Press, Nashville, Tenn., by Robert Coleman, in his “The American Hymnal” in 1933. His song says:

“Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed; the motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, the upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near.

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, Returning from his ways; while angels in their songs rejoice and cry, ‘Behold, he prays!’

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air, his watchword at the gates of death; he enters heaven with prayer.

O Christ, by Whom we come to God, the Life, the Truth, the way, The path of prayer You surely trod: Lord, teach us how to pray!” Is that YOUR prayer?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“AWAKENINGS” NECESSITY?

“PIERCING THE DRAGON – PIERCINGS BY HIM OR PIERCING HIM?”

Revelation 12:7-17 is one powerful illustration showing both the original heavenly war between Holy God and “the dragon” AND the eventual war between “the dragon” and mankind! It says: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. Do the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (angels or very described as “demons”?).

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony ( “they”? The blood-bought, atoned for, recipients of “new life in Christ”, anointed in the Spirit, declared by God Himself to be sons and daughters of true redemptive faith!), and they did not love their lives to the death.

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.

Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male”CHILD”. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished, for a time and time and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Related to the passage you just read, is there a correlation to Isaiah 51:9 when the Lord spoke through him, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, and wounded the serpent?’, then followed in Isaiah 51:11 with, “So the ‘ransomed of the Lord’ ( the “blood-bought”, the “redeemed”, the “awakened”?) shall return (turn around, face the serpent, resist and conquer him), shall return, and come to Zion with singing, (“We have overcome” the dragon or the devil?), with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

At least 700-800 years later, maybe more, Paul wrote to the church at Colossae and us, Colossians 2:13-15 saying, “And YOU, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He (Christ Jesus!) has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” [Why not add in here James 1:12? “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Don’t miss THAT!].

The foundation for this chapter, this message, is still being laid: Think with me about Ephesians 3:8-12 where Paul said: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Christ Jesus; TO THE INTENT THAT NOW the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, IN WHOM we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”

And when from the Cross, in the last moments before He died for our sins, did He say to the Father, “It is finished!” In that “finished work” by His own shed blood, was He pierced or did He “pierce the dragon”? Out of this scriptural ‘info’ let’s consider “PIERCING THE DRAGON – PIERCED BY OR PIERCING HIM?”

FIRST, NOTICE, PIERCING THE DRAGON BY CONFESSING THE ‘CURSE’ TO THE CONQUERING CHRIST! In Deuteronomy 28:1-2 initially, read carefully: “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God…”.

Then, notice Verse 15 which says: “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, THAT ALL THESE CURSES WILL COME UPON YOU AND OVERTAKE YOU..”

Oh, hold on!! Look at Deuteronomy 28:49-53! It unveils more fully the consequences of ‘the curse’! It says: “THE LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.

They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the Lord your God has given you. You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters whom the Lord has given you, in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress.” Literal? SURE! IT HAPPENED! Metaphorical? What happened to Israel through the ‘curse’ comes in reality and further awareness on all men and nations who rebel against Holy God and His Word and will! A nation, a life, a family, a people, or, maybe, just a part? Ephesians 2:12 speaks of the ‘uncircumcised’ or unredeemed or unbelievers: “that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of [promise, HAVING NO HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD…”].

The ‘curse’ is lostness, the ‘curse’ is unbelief, the ‘curse’ is compromise, the ‘curse’ is the choice to ‘go my own way without God’! In Acts 13 Paul and Barnabas were intent to see that Israel as the nation heard the Truth of their “Promised Messiah”, but most refused “saving grace” through Christ and settled for devotion to their religious practices! Acts 13:38-41 tells us, Paul speaking to the Jewish assembly and elders,

“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man (Christ Jesus) is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES [trusts in, adheres to, relies upon], IS JUSTIFIED [meaning “received as if they’d never sinned” – Jesus took sin and the sin nature to the Cross and it was put to death through Him!], IS JUSTIFIED from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: ‘Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you.’ [That’s out of Habakkuk 1:5] which related to Israel’s coming judgment AND destruction! [Examine for yourself Matthew 24:35-44!].

Oh, but God help us AND the Jewish community of ‘unbelief’ and rejection of the “True Messiah”! Look at Acts 13:46! Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “it was necessary that the word of God SHOULD BE SPOKEN TO YOU FIRST (the Jewish community!); but since you reject it, AND JUDGE YOURSELVES UNWORTHY OF EVERLASTING LIFE, BEHOLD, we turn to the Gentile world!” Because Paul knew, at least, some of them would receive the witness of Christ’s “Blood Atonement” for men, if they repent and turn!

Consider, reflect upon, settle into Galatians 3:1-14, where there is powerful, enlightening, and redemptive words! It says: “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, (O foolish Americans, O foolish ‘intellectual professors’ who are sure they know more than God, O foolish, unspiritual, rebellious, “my way or the highway” people, O foolish ‘church-haters’) before whose eyes JESUS CHRIST was clearly portrayed, (historically validated!!), among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain?

Therefore He (HOLY GOD!) who supplies the Spirit (the Holy Spirit of “conviction of sin”), are YOU now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit (the Holy Spirit of divine conviction) and works miracles among you (whether you see them or not!), does He do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? –

Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” [Go to Genesis 22:1-18! Settle there for awhile, and see faith alone in the “Lamb’s sacrifice, and then come to correlate the Old Testament prophetic picture of the reality of “the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, slain for the sins of the world”, followed by John 20:19-29!! Take a break, and settle in to these marvelous, miracle-working, life-changing revelations!].Then, are you ready?

Please reflect upon 1 John 3:7-9!! “Little children, let no one DECEIVE YOU. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He (the Lord Jesus) is righteous. He who sins (and keeps on sinning) is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. FOR THIS PURPOSE THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” Do you remember the angel speaking to Zacharias about his answer to prayer, that it was heard, and his wife, Elizabeth, was going to bear him a son, calling him John. And he was told, Luke 1:14-17, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from His mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

We, in the 21^st Century? We’re free from the call on John’s life as it was for him and him alone? What did the Lord Jesus on that mountain after His Resurrection? Matthew 28:18-20 declares is Jesus declaring to all disciples then and now, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. GO THEREFORE and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, TEACHING THEM to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” AMEN.

And to his spiritual son, Timothy, Paul wrote enriching, encouraging, and enlightening words in 2 Timothy 4, after he’d been arrested for preaching “The Truth”, Verses 16-18, saying to Timothy and us,

“In Christ” one is freed from the ‘curse’ of Satanic entitlement as Paul explained in Ephesians 2:1-10, “And you He [God] made ALIVE who were dead n trespasses and sins, IN WHICH YOU ONCE WALKED ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and WERE BY NATURE children of wrath, just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us ALIVE (spiritually alive!) with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, THAT IN THE AGES TO COME (even in the 21^st Century!!) He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM,” to His glory, honor, and praise!!!

“In Christ”, free from the curse of Satanic entitlement, having “formerly walked according to the prince of the power of the air,” we now walk in the liberty by which Christ set us free! “In Christ”, free from the curse of Satanic disobedience, we now walk as true sons of obedience to the King of kings and Lord of lords! Glory!

SECOND, PIERCING THE DRAGON BY THE BINDING OF THE STRONG MAN! In Matthew 12:22-29 it begins with ‘Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He (the Lord Jesus) healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them,

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

Dare I tell you? I believe I will! In Luke 9:1-2 we read, Then Jesus called His twelve disciples together and GAVE THEM POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER ALL DEMONS, and to cure diseases (Maybe even cure “dis-eases”?). Verse 2, He then sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (And you think, “That was then, but not now?”). It’s about eight days later, after the commissioning, Verses 37-43, – Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is only a child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Then Verses 41-43 tells us, Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. (How interesting that it was only days before, as we began Luke 9, that that very first verse of Luke 9 says, Then He called His twelve disciples together AND GAVE THEM POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER ALL DEMONS, and to cure disease!). But now they can’t?

Luke 10:1-2 begins: After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Oh, it’s getting eternally interesting. Look at Verses 8-9! “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But please, look intently at Verses 16-20, and ‘buckle up’!

“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.” Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” And Jesus said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the AUTHORITY to trample on serpents and scorpions, AND over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

True authority to “pierce the dragon”? Revelation 12:11 says, And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

And, be assured, the “dragon” isn’t happy or pleased! He intensifies his opposition to the people of God, the followers of the Lamb, the church, and, Oh!, he sure wants to keep “disciples” in the dark about their “commissioning” of “binding the strong man”!

How could a “God-led” people like “Israel”, led by God for forty years through the wilderness, ever forget WHAT GOD DID, but they did – and sadly many new disciples have never received divine instruction for themselves in their pilgrimages through life’s ‘wilderness experiences’! Deuteronomy 8:2-3 explains: “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Really? How does the New Testament interpret the previous Old Testament passage? Look with me at 2 Corinthians 2:10-11! “Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, LEST SATAN SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US; FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES.”

A dear friend of mine, now deceased, Joyce Green, wife of Milton Green, now deceased, who was a “gifted”, prophetic teacher of the Word the last 10-15 years of his life, both in America and world-wide,( Joyce) taught one time on “The ‘fruit’ of flesh or the “fruits” of the Spirit and the Word”! Examine it, reflect upon it, and determine if your walk of faith is ‘fleshly or spiritual’!

‘Flesh fruit’? Hate or selfishness! Or Holy Spirit fruit? Calvary’s proven love! ‘Flesh fruit’? Sadness and disappointment! Or Holy Spirit joy and delight! ‘Flesh fruit’? Strife! Or Holy Spirit unfathomable peace! ‘Flesh’s’ impatience or irritabilities? Or the Spirit’s fruit of ‘patience’!

The ‘flesh fruit’ of despair or the Spirit’s fruit of ‘eternal hope’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘self-righteousness’ or the Spirit’s fruit of ‘imparted, implanted, Christ-righteousness’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘fear’ or the ‘Spirit’s fruit’ of ‘saving faith’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘scoffing’ or the ‘Spirit’s fruit’ of ‘biblical belief’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘pride’ or the ‘Spirit’s fruit’ of humility?

The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘malice’ or the ‘Spirit’s fruit’ of ‘kindness’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘arrogance’ or the ‘Spirit’s fruit’ of ‘meekness’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘suspicions’ or the ‘Spirit fruit’ of ‘trust’? ‘Uncontrolled outbursts of anger’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘gentleness’?

The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘rebellion’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘submission’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of a ‘life lusting for approval, lured into jealousy and strife’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘completed, fulfilled in Christ’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘cowardice, the fear of men’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘courage’?

The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘rejection’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘accepted in the Beloved’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘self-indulgence’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘temperance’? The ‘flesh fruit’ of ‘infidelity’ or the ‘Spirit-fruit’ of ‘faithfulness’? Let me narrow her list down, just a little bit:

‘Revenge’ or ‘forgiveness’, ‘injustice’ or ‘fairness’, ‘prejudices’ or ‘impartiality’, ‘slothfulness’ or ‘diligence’, ‘hypocrisy’ or ‘sincerity’, ‘lust’ or ‘contentment’, ‘retaliation’ or ‘mercy’, ‘immorality’ or ‘purity’, foolishness’ or ‘wisdom’, ‘worry’ or ‘rest’, ‘greed’ or ‘generosity’, ‘double-mindedness’ or ‘endurance’, ‘deceit’ or ‘Truth’, ‘ingratitude’ or ‘gratitude’, ‘death’ or ‘life’, ‘self-condemnation’ or “Christ-bestowed honor”?

I’m convinced Isaiah 35:8-10 is an affirmation of Joyce’s list! It says: “A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Glory! Glory be TO GOD!

Now, in THIS day, THIS hour, “my time of testing”, even by “the powers of darkness”, can “we”, “Pierce the Dragon” By the Power of Prayer and Fasting? “You bet-cha”! In Matthew 17:14-21, follow carefully the words of Jesus and receive His provision for you!

And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epilectic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus REBUKED THE DEMON, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

Then…then…then…the disciples came to Jesus privately ( what ‘unbelieving disciple’ wants to be exposed publicly?) and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for ASSUREDLY, I say to you, IF YOU HAVE FAITH as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. HOWEVER, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Psalm 140:1-8 and Verses 12-13 gives “assurances” in “prayer” for deliverances, even from the “demons”! It says: “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, Who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war. They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips. {But YOU can’t see “demons” in those kinds of ‘evil men’?}.

Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have purposed to make my steps stumble.{ But YOU can’t see “demons” doing that?}. The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set traps for me.

I said to the Lord: “You are my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. {Are YOU ‘covered’ in the days of spiritual warfare with demons?}. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted.”

And then David wrote in Verses 12-13, “I KNOW that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. SURELY the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.”

“PIERCE THE DRAGON” ALSO IS OUR CALLING THROUGH STRONG RESISTANCE TO SATAN’S ADVANCES! What did Peter tell us who are “the pilgrims of Faith,” “the elect,” “the sanctified, ‘set aside to God’s honor and glory’, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:1-2)? In 1 Peter 5:6-11 he personalized it, pointed us to our ‘warfare ministry’, and lifted us to the realm of faithful ministry under the God of all grace! Peter wrote:

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that HE may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, PERFECT, ESTABLISH, STRENGTHEN, AND SETTLE YOU. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever . Amen.” When “the dragon” comes, are YOU equipped for the “warfare” in Christ Jesus?

TO “PIERCE THE DRAGON” IS ALSO UPHOLDING THE LIGHT OF TRUTH BEFORE THE DECEIT OF THE WHOLE WORLD! Let’s let Revelation 12:7-11 give us a ‘hint’ about ‘spiritual warfare’ in the 21^st Century with the devil and his powers of darkness, the demons: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels FOUGHT WITH THE DRAGON; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, WHO DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD; he was cast to the earth, and his angels (or demons!) were cast out with him.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of the brethren who accused them before our God day and night, HAS BEEN CAST DOWN. And they OVERCAME him (the devil, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their own testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea (those who have no awareness of the defeat of Satan!)! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Why? How?

Because some are not of God, but are ‘deceived’ by devilish influences, even his very presence, continually blinding their minds, suffocating their wills, and being ‘hood-winked’ by those ‘demons of darkness’ that divine encounter, divine remedy, divine restoration, is not possible, needed, or really happening, just some ‘religious spasms’ that ‘mask’ people from who they really are: the devil’s children, and, “the spirit of the Antichrist” is a good thing, not ungodly ‘like freak Christians tell you’!

Don’t you know this is why Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7 that, “if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, who is the image {exact likeness and identity!} of God, should shine on them.”

And then, we see the “blood-Redeemed” upholding the “Light of Truth” before the world and, yes, even the demon powers! 2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “FOR IT IS GOD WHO COMMANDED LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS, who has shone in our hearts (hearts of “born-again, Spirit-filled lives), yes, SHONE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST.” The Knowledge? The Knowledge of the Glory of God? The Knowledge of the Glory of God In the Face of Jesus Christ, fully revealed in available ‘vessels’ ,like your repentant heart and life fully surrendered to honor Him “through you”?

TO “PIERCE THE DRAGON” IS ALSO THROUGH THE MIGHTY ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HIS RIVER OF LOVE THAT SWEEPS AWAY TAUNTS, TEMPTATIONS, TESTINGS, TRIBULATIONS, AND TRIALS ‘the dragon, your enemy’ HAS, WILL, DOES BRING AGAINST YOU – BUT “IN CHRIST” WE RECEIVE THE SPIRIT’S RESIDENCE, RELEASE, AND RESURGENT POWERS AS OVERCOMERS, NOT ONLY OVER SIN AND THE OLD NATURE, BUT OVER THE DEVIL HIMSELF AND HIS DEMON FORCES!

Romans 5:3-5 tells us about ‘disciples’ “justified by faith”, about ‘disciples’ “who have peace with God through Christ Jesus our Lord, with “access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”, not the demonic troubles or tribulations, who witness trouble and devilish tribulations having been overcome, because our heavenly hope is in Christ, and poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and given to us, yes, even to be overcomers over the devil’s temptations, tribulations, or testings!

Romans 8:37-39 declares, defends, defines, demonstrates a “redeemed life” filled with the Spirit, and heirs of God’s promises! “Yet in all these things (even devilish trials!) we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

IF “the kingdom is the Lord’s”, and YOU have committed yourself to His kingdom-rule, are you ‘blind’ to His divine ability, holy nature, and governing authority, yes, even over Satan and his demons?!? Isn’t it interesting to you as a “seeker”, that in Matthew 12:28, Jesus told the ‘religious, unrepentant, unredeemed Pharisees, “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come.” The question of this moment: “In the midst of demonic activity all around you, are you firmly, faithfully, fully ‘marked’ as a true citizen of the kingdom of God, and ready, willing, able, and faithfully ‘piercing the dragon’?”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

THE PRICELESS PURPOSE – A DIVINE AWAKENING NECESSITY?

Nehemiah 6:1-3 is a powerful insight into the reality of ‘temptations’ to take one away from eternal purpose or to lay hold of it, not deterred from it, but fully committed to His “great work”. It says: “Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Gesham the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, ‘Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” [Any ‘insight’ in your reading there about ‘fleshly intents’ in place of “eternal purposes”?].

Now, relate that to 2 Timothy 1: 8-14!! “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings FOR THE GOSPEL according to the power of God, who SAVED US and CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, not according to “our works”, but according TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE which was given to us in Christ Jesus BEFORE TIME BEGAN, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, WHO HAS ABOLISHED DEATH AND BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTSALITY TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GOSPEL, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. FOR THIS REASON I also suffered these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED [‘trusted in, relied upon, adhered to’!] AND AM PERSUADED that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” Glory be to Holy, Loving, Merciful, Trust-worthy God!

Henry Brandt, Christian psychologist, has written: (“The Power of the Call”, p.208), “Generally speaking, our nation has followed the leading of the social scientist, who has sought to produce a Godless, valueless, permissive society as the answer to our needs. We have tried it for a half century. Where has the trail left us? We are headed for the rocks, but we are not there yet.” HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU, (as a nation, a life, a family, a state or city, or even a ‘church’ or denomination), AWAY FROM GOD AND HIS REVEALED WORD AND MISSION?

David, King David, cried out in Psalm 119:37, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, AND REVIVE ME IN YOUR WAY.” Do you realize how easy it is to be caught up in worthless things and not know “The Priceless Purpose”? Purposeless lives are what Peter called “this untoward generation”, which simply means a life not headed toward anything – AIMLESS, MEANINGLESS, an attitude of “what’s the use”, “do as YOU please”, “try to fill that ‘broken cistern’ that can hold no water – HELPLESS, HOPELESS, HELL-BOUND”!!

George Moore was a novelist of the last century. In one of his novels he wrote about ‘Irish peasants’ in the time period of the great depression, how the government had put them to work building roads, (kinda’ like the CC camps in the South in the 1930’s and early 1940’s after our ‘depression’).

It was a time for singing because they were at work again. But all of a sudden they realized they were building roads that led nowhere. When that truth dawned upon them that their job had been provided simply to feed them, they grew listless and stopped singing. Moore wrote: “THE ROADS TO NOWHERE ARE DIFFICULT TO MAKE. FOR A MAN TO WORK WELL AND SING, THERE MUST BE AN END IN VIEW.”

Listen to Chuck Swindoll in “The Quest For Character”,(p.99): “VISION. It is essential for SURVIVAL. It is spawned by faith, sustained by hope, sparked by imagination and strengthened by enthusiasm. It is greater than sight, deeper than a dream, broader than an idea. Vision encompasses vast vistas outside the realm of the predictable, the safe, the expected. NO WONDER WE PERISH without it!”

But again, listen to David, Psalm 28:7, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; THEREFORE (Do YOU have a ‘therefore’ in your life?)..my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.”

“In Christ” WE’RE NOT LIP-SERVICE LIMPERS TRYING TO SURVIVE – WE’RE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST-HIGH GOD, CALLED TO SERVE HIM AND HIM ALONE IN AND THROUGH THE FAITHFULNESS AND ASSURANCES OF HIS CALL UPON OUR LIVES!!

Everyone one of us, like Zaccheus, were up a tree, a tree of lifelessness, a tree of meaninglessness – and THEN, we heard the call: “Zacchaeus, come down,, today I must abide at your house,” AND THINGS CHANGE! “THE PRICELESS PURPOSE”! Purpose? God’s intension, God’s design, God’s blueprint, God’s eternal ‘counsel of His Will: Ephesians 1:11, “being predestined according to the PURPOSE of Him WHO WORKS ALL THINGS [in “your life of faith”] ACCORDING TO THE COUNSELF OF HIS WILL.”

Which thrusts us all who are “in the Faith” to “What is God up to in MY life?” In Psalm 139:16 King David wrote: “Your eyes God, saw my substance yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” I KNOW you’re familiar with the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:4, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ORDAINED YOU A PROPHET TO THE NATIONS.” Question! ARE YOU IN ON WHAT GOD ORDAINED FOR YOUR LIFE EVEN BEFORE YOU WERE FORMED AND BIRTHED?

FIRST, CONSIDER: PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE CALL OF GOD TO A GREAT AND GODLY WORK! Nehemiah 6:3, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot ‘come down’…!” Can we, in our modern-world so casually forget John 20:21? “…As the Father has sent Me, I ALSO SEND YOU.”

You know Jesus began with twelves disciples. Then in Luke 10:1 the Word says, “After these things the Lord APPOINTED seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” Isn’t it interesting to you that Matthew 28:19 is called “THE GREAT COMMISSION”?

In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 Paul reminds us and alerts us, saying, “NOW ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ Jesus, AND has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ RECONCILING the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, AND HAS COMMITTED TO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION: NOW THEN, WE, “In Christ”, ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST!” How AWESOME!!!

Do YOU understand the awesomeness of a great and godly work like BOAT BUILDING? What about the awesomeness of a great and godly work of BIRTHING A HOLY NATION? We’re not ‘clueless’ about “rescue the Perishing and Care For the Dying”? But the question of this God-given moment IS: Am I sold out to “The story to tell to the nations” that by the love and mercy of Loving God “the darkness shall turn into the dawning, and the dawning to Noonday Bright, and Christ’s great Kingdom shall come to earth (through YOU and Me), the Kingdom of love and light”?

Hide all of 1 Peter 2:9 in YOUR heart!! “But YOU are a CHOSEN GENERATION, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, that YOU may proclaim the praises of Him who called YOU out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

SECOND, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF URGENCY! In Matthew 9:35-38, notice, Jesus was moved with compassion. He looked upon fallen humanity as “weary and scattered”, “like sheep having no shepherd”, seeing them as “the certain man (who) went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves – STRIPPED, WOUNDED, AND LEFT AS DEAD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.”

Do YOU believe Jesus really understood the ‘sense of urgency’? In Luke 17:19, after cleansing the ‘lepers’, Jesus said, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well,” followed by Verses 20-31!

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; now will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God IS WITHIN YOU.”

Then He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say, to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ Do not go after them or follow them. For as the lightning flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day. But first, He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man; They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. EVEN SO it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.”

John Wesley once said: “I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus of life between two boundless oceans.”

Sounds to me like “The Priceless Purpose” of “The Significance of Urgency”! That’s URGENCY BECAUSE A DAY IS COMING WHEN GOD ARISES AND SAYS, “Gentlemen, it’ closing time,” or URGENCY BECAUSE THERE IS A JUDGMENT SEAT BEFORE WHICH EVERY MAN MUST STAND, or URGENCY BECAUSE THE UNHOLY DEAD WILL STAND TO ANSWER WITH A ‘PONTIUS PILATE”, “WHAT DID YOU DO WITH JESUS CALLED THE CHRIST?”, or URGENCY BECAUSE THERE”S A LITERAL HELL WHERE THE WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED, or URGENCY BECAUSE GOD HAS PROVIDENTIALLY PLACED ON THE LEDGER OF OUR LIVES THE SOULS HE HAS COMMITTED TO OUR CARE, or URGENCY BECAUSE WITHOUT CHRIST THERE IS NO ETERNAL HOPE OR RECONCILIATION BEYOND WITH GOD APART FROM THE INDWELLING OF CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS!

THIRD, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE AWARENESS OF AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST!!! Matthew 10:1 says, “And when He had called His twelve disciples TO HIM…”, that’s enough for this particular moment in the times of our lives – we don’t have to read any further, though we will!

Mark 3:13 says, “And He went up on the mountain and CALLED TO HIM THOSE HE HIMSELF WANTED. AND THEY CAME TO HIM,” and Matthew 10:1 then says, “…He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease.” Look at Matthew 10:40! “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Charles Hodge, 19^th Century reformed theologian, in his “Commentary on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians,” (Grand Rapids, Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing, p.133) wrote: “A Christian is one who recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, as God manifested in the flesh, loving us and dying for our redemption; and who is so effected by a sense of the love of this incarnate God as to be constrained to make the will of Christ the RULE OF HIS OBEDIENCE, AND THE GLORY OF CHRIST THE GREAT END FOR WHICH HE LIVES.”

Oh, but hear me!! 1 John 4:17, the last part, “…BECAUSE AS JESUS IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.” What a priceless revelation or unveiling of the priceless purpose! Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote: “No man for any considerable period can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true.” Are YOU bewildered or blessed because who you are is not what “funny face” you wear but the FAITH-GIFT given to you that “Christ lives in me, and I live in the hope of His eternal glory, likeness, and provisions of ALL HE IS in His Resurrected, reigning presence!

FOURTH, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE IMMUNITY FROM THE CRUCH OF CRITICISM!! In Matthew 10:16-23, and Verses 34-36, we read about, “Do You Know Who You Are And What You’re About?”

“BEHOLD, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as dove. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father for his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. BUT he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes….Verses 34-36, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’.” Do YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT?

If you do, and you should know, what difference does it make if others are critical of your ‘Life Task’? You sell out to Christ, and on one hand you’ll get rose bouquets but on the other you may get red bricks! What is ‘social approval’ or the lack thereof if YOU have God’s blessing? Rebuke from a soiled society is water off a duck’s back!

Look at Luke 6:22-23, 26! “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. REJOICE in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”

FIFTH, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING AND CONFIDENCE OF DEPENDENCE UPON HOLY GOD TO MEET OUR EVERY NEED!

Matthew 10:9-10, again Jesus speaking, “provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.”

In Psalm 4:8 David wrote, “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Never doubt the Word of God or the words of God that come to you through the promptings of the Holy Spirit!

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

When I was born again, February 1974, after being a Baptist pastor for twelve years, I became so attentive to God’s Word and His spoken words to me. Sue and I were in Arizona, 2000 miles from our home, and I heard God clearly say, “I want you to resign this church as pastor on such and such a date. Upon your resignation I want you to give away all of your savings. You are to be penniless and trust Me.” I went home at lunch to tell Sue and she said, “Did you ask Him what to do with the money from savings and in our checking account?” I said, “No” and Sue said, “It might be good if you ask Him.”

I did, and He told me three places to give the money. We did all He said, and just a day or two later I came home for lunch. Scott had walked from his High School for lunch and I opened the mail. There was a letter from a family in Ocala, Florida. It said, as cash money fell out and also a check, “Don’t know what God is up to in your live, but He told us a significant change was taking place in your family and we should be a part. Here’s a check for $5000 to use as you see fit – that’s from my husband – the cash is from me,” the wife said.

The cash was more money than we gave away and the check helped us settle in our home in Tennessee as a base for evangelistic outreach!!

SIXTH, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE OF THE INCRREASING CELEBRATION OF THE AWARENESS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD! Matthew 10:5-7, words to the twelve, Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

It’s so very, very interesting that 2 Corinthians 6:1 says, “We then, as workers together with God also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” What did we see there? “Workers together with God”! Oh, and then, Colossians 1:29 says, “To this end I also labor, striving ‘according to His working which works in me mightily.’”

In Henry Blackaby’s book, “The Power of the Call,” (p.116), he wrote: “The complexities of your background do not cut you off from God’s resources – nobody can do that.” [Are YOU grasping this yet for your walk?].

We don’t choose to be set aside in life as a disciple of Jesus. Disciples are chosen, called, set aside in the sovereignty of Holy God. We’re selected, elected, commissioned by God, in God’s timing, God’s place and placing, to serve God and God alone!

We’re not “man-pleasers”, but “God-blessers and the blessed”!! Romans 1:1-6 says, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ…”

SEVENTH, PURPOSE IS PRICELESS BECAUSE PURPOSE KEEPS US OUT OF AND AWAY FROM THE PARALYSIS OF PESSIMISM! Remember, “I’m doing a great work and I ‘cannot come down’!” “I’ve been called of God, and I’ll not crumble, nor fumble, nor bumble, nor be a ‘believer’ that carelessly, blundering, blindly, stupidly lives in defiance to the Lord’s eternal will, purpose, or design!” “The world’s news is not my life barometer – it may be sad, uncertain, with gloom as a disease of its mind, heart, and spirit – BUT I’m MORE THAN CONQUEROR! I’M A CHILD OF THE KING! I HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS! I’M, IN HIM, AN OVERCOMER! I’M COMMISSIONED WITH A GREAT, HIGH CALLING, TO HONOR HIM!

J. Wallace Hamilton, in his writing, “Where Now Is Thy God”? (p.38). “Good men in all lands are asking it, how to keep faith in the imperishable values when they seem so wholly at the mercy of the perishable. Our age is characterized by a deep, subconscious pessimism and underlying mood of hopelessness. Gone from our hearts is the buoyant optimism of the frontier days which was so exhilarating a factor in the making of America. It is our fate to live in a time when a vast instability and insecurity and anxiety underlies all we think or do. Emotionally we are like people waiting for a catastrophe. A “what’s the use of anything” mood has settled on millions like a blight.” BUT NOT THE REDEEMED! NOT THE SENT! NOT THE CALLED! NOT THE APPOINTED AND ANOINTED! NOT NEHEMIAHS! What did Nehemiah say? “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down!” “I’m doing a great work, and even though all Hell opposes me, I’m fighting on, I’ll finish the work with, yes, the desire of hearing my Savior say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’”!

Do you think this might be why Paul said the following in Colossians 3:23? “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

A paralysis of pessimism? How about an explosion of devotion? A paralysis of doubts and fears? How about a volcanic eruption of certainty, confidence, of consecration to be all God wants me to be and so much more than I ever dreamed I could be on my own?

I can’t wait to hear it – even the promise of it is sustaining: Matthew 25:34, Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

I pray that Jesus words might be yours: John 17:4, “I have GLORIFIED you on the earth. I have finished the work You have given Me to do.”

2 Peter 1:10 says, “…make your calling and election sure..!” We started with this chapter with a Henry Brandt quote – let me end with on from “The Power of the Call,” (p.163): “There is a spirit of faith available every day independent of circumstances, independent of people, and of people’s choices. On any given day, you have an option. You can submit your life to the Lord, but you do not have to. You can rejoice, but you do not have to. That leaves you with a daily choice. Which way will you choose?”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“AWAKENINGS” NECESSITY?

“THE CALL OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP – THE CALL TO DEATH!”

In Mark 8:34-38 we’re ALL confronted with Christ’s call to “take up the cross and follow Me,” When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels”, and that’s not in some “fantasy” – future, cataclysmic event like a “Rapture”!?!

There’s a similar remarkable passage in Mark 14: 43-52 that tells us of the Lord’s betrayal and arrest. It says: And immediately, while He (Jesus) was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and ;lead Him away safely.”

As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. THEN they laid their hands on Him and took Him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out as a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. BUT THE SCRIPTURE MUST BE FULFILLED. Then they all forsook Him and fled.

Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

Remember, Jesus talked about “take up his cross” – it’s “lose his life…”! I remember Moses Paulose of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India, saying to me years and years ago, in one of the years of my ministry in India over twenty-five years, “Papa, the problem with the American church is that it really doesn’t believe the true message of the Gospel.” I said then, “What do you mean? The church is as strong in America as any place on the face of the earth.” Paulose responded, “They really don’t believe the call of the gospel is the call to come and die.”

I remembered the conflict in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life in Switzerland as he ran from Nazi Germany, and the Lord God confronted him. “What are you doing here, Bonhoeffer? Go back to Germany.” And he did. In his book, “The Cost of Discipleship,” he wrote: “WHEN CHRIST CALLS A MAN HE BIDS HIM COME AND DIE.”

I remembered the conflict of Paulose and his son, Israel, in a fishing village of southern India, where they were severely beaten! Israel responded afterwards to his father: “Daddy, isn’t it good? I’m going to be a martyr for Jesus.” And I also remembered a few years later experience in India, in my prayer time in preparation to teach that day 300 India pastors, PLANNING on teaching “Preparedness and Readiness”, and the Lord said, “The church of India will blossom but it will be by the blood of the martyrs.”

And months and months after that, I received a letter from Varghese Matthews of the Andaman Islands: “We’ve recently begun to receive threats on our lives as a family. May not see you on your next trip, but I’ll see you with the Lord in Heaven.”

Please remember and reflect: 2 Corinthians 7:3, “I do not speak to condemn you: for I have said before that you are in our hearts TO DIE TOGETHER AND TO LIVE TOGETHER.” That is one of the most dynamic, powerful, illuminating, liberating verses I’ve ever read! What does the world do? They live together so they can die together. But the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ? WE DIE TOGETHER SO WE CAN LIVE TOGETHER! And this isn’t the ‘Jim Jones” poisoned ‘kool-aid’ program but the prophesy of the Lord Jesus Christ: AS YOU CHOOSE TO DIE TO YOURSELF, YOU’VE FOUND THE “WAY TO LIVE FOREVER!” Think that just might be what Paul meant when he said: “I die daily”?

It’s not a casual hymn for comfortable church members but the truth of the Gospel: “I must needs go home by the way of the Cross, There’s no other way but this; I shall ne’er get sight of the gates of light, If the way of the Cross I miss… I must needs go on in the blood-sprinkled way, the path that the Savior trod; If I ever climb to the heights sublime, where the soul is at home with God. Then I bid farewell to the way of the world, to walk in it nevermore; For my Lord says, “Come”, and I seek my home where He waits at the open door. The way of the Cross leads home, the way of the Cross leads home. It is sweet to know as I onward go, The way of the Cross leads home.”

And I know, on the one hand, from the lips of Jesus, that it is a CHOICE. Mark 8:34 says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

But the way of the Cross is more than a choice I make, it is a work Sovereign God providentially, circumstantially, and faithfully oversees: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 says, “But we have this treasure in earthern vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. WE are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; WE are perplexed (at times!), but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live ARE ALWAYS delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is working in us, but life in you.” Does that sound like, “Your death-extremities for God’s opportunity?”

If you come with me to Matthew 16, you’ll find some more illuminating verses: Matthew 16:21-26 says, From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He MUST GO TO JERUSALEM, and SUFFER MANY THINGS from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and BE KILLED, and BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Jesus, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

THEN Jesus said to the disciples [You and me?], “If ANYONE desires to come after Me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” HOW SOBERING IS THAT?

I had a friend, Alan Butt, who said once, “Peter could identify Jesus, but at this point, he couldn’t identify with Him.” And with all my heart, I say to you today as I do the world over, that many do identify Jesus correctly, but sadly they’ve never identified WITH HIM! What did Jesus say to His disciples and to us in John 12:24? “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself ALONE; but IF IT DIES, it bears much fruit.”

The tragedy of much of the ‘church’ in America is that it has settled for ‘comfort’ when Christ Jesus called it “TO THE CROSS”! “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…”?

Have you ever seen a ‘grape’ comfortable in a winepress? Have you ever seen kernels of corn comfortable under a millstone as it is crushed for bread? Have you ever seen an apple comfortable as a paring knife is thrust into it to prepare it for the ‘pie’?

And, I want you to know, I’ve never seen a ‘Christian’ comfortable as ‘he or she’ dies daily in order to see the fruits and fullness of the Divine Life of Christ released within them! John Wimber once said: “Jesus calls us out of this world to be perpetually uncomfortable!”

Do you remember what Jesus said to the church at Smyrna? Revelation 2:10, “…Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life.” But the all-inclusive message of Christ is not only faithful until, but faithful unto death, daily! And if it’s a call in true discipleship to ‘death’, then what is it, for our practical, workable understanding?

FIRST, (So clearly!), IT IS DEATH TO ONE’S PERSONAL WILL: In Matthew 26:36-46 we read, Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, AND PRAYED, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; NEVERTHELESS, not as I will, but as You will.”

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?? Watch and PRAY, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your Will BE DONE.”

And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. THEN He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

There is eternal insight to the last passage you just read when in John 5:30 you see this passionate understanding of “Christ in the flesh”, or His ‘human body’ as He said: “I can do nothing in My own initiative… I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

And our appropriation of that truth in our lives? In 1 John 4:17-19 says: “Love (the love of God!) has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: BECAUSE as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in (Calvary’s) love. We love Him because He first loved us.” BECAUSE AS JESUS IS SO ARE WE!

No doubt this is why Paul wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to write Romans 12:1-2! “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT YOUR BODIES “a living sacrifice”, holy, acceptable to God, which IS your reasonable service (of worship!). And do not be conformed to this world, but be (being) transformed by the renewing of your mind, that YOU may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Oh, the true servant of Christ doesn’t even stop there with Paul’s powerful word, but extends it with Paul’s later word in Colossians 3:15-17! “AND let the peace of God RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. AND whatever you do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS (for the privilege of being a ‘vessel’ through which ) God the Father does His work, as He did through Christ” on the Cross!

SECOND, THIS WALK OF ‘DEATH” IS DEATH TO FLESHLY LIVING: In Romans 8:12-14 Paul explains this “death to fleshly living”! [Your “flesh” in biblical form IS “your old sin-nature”!]. “Therefore, brethren, (brothers AND sisters ‘in Christ’!), we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh (or your old sin-nature) you will die; but IF by the Spirit you put to death (daily) the deeds of the body, YOU WILL LIVE (victoriously in the “Overcoming Life of Christ”!). For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.”

[Where does it come free that a ‘Christian’ can’t do anything but sin until he/she gets to heaven?]. Oh, but hear me! “In Christ”, those who have been “born again”, drawn to Jesus by the Father’s love, grace, and mercy, these “new creations”, NOW “raised up” are what? Galatians 2:20! “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ LIVES IN ME; and the life which I now live in the flesh (the physical body) I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God…” Glory!

What did Paul say in Galatians 5:13? “For you, brethren (“in Christ”), have been called to LIBERTY; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh; but through love serve one another.” “Best efforts”? No! Galatians 5:16-21 instructs us: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another; so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, WHICH ARE: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God,” with Verse 24 then telling us: “And THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH (the old sin nature! And when Christ died YOU CHOICE to have your old sin nature crucified with Him!), Yes, with its passions and desires.”

Have you who profess “In Christ” allowed the old man of sin to dominate you unaware of the revelation and unveiling of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 to blind you to your future or will you allow 1 Corinthians 6:11 to be YOUR true redemptive testimony? Verses 9-10 tell us: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? DO NOT BE DECEIVED. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomities, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God!” But Verse 11? “AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.”

Examine what the “beloved Peter” had to say in 1 Peter 4:1-2! “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh HAS CEASED FROM SIN, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, BUT for the WILL OF GOD.”

Are YOU “one with Christ”? Romans 6:14 declares: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Followed by Verses 17-18, “But God be thanked that though YOU WERE SLAVES OF SIN, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. AND, HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, YOU BECAME SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Then, carried to His ‘mountain of holiness’, we learn, Verses 22-23, “But now HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, and HAVING BECOME SLAVES OF GOD, YOU, “IN CHRIST”, have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. FOR the wages of sin IS DEATH, but the GIFT OF GOD is ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.”

THIRD, THIS ‘WALK OF DEATH’ AND “LIFE IN CHRIST” IS DEATH TO A WORLD SPIRIT! In Galatians 6:14 the Holy Word instructs us: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

What commission to we receive from the beloved John in his letter, 1 John 2:15-17? “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father IS NOT IN HIM. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the (boastful) pride of life (in the flesh) – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Yes, we are still in the world, but, as disciples of Christ, we are not to be of it! If we are as Jesus is in this world, what is it He is? Hebrews 7:26 says, “For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest, Holy, Innocent, Undefiled, Separated from sinners, and Exalted above the heavens…” What does that mean?

• It’s Death to the world spirit of compromise and convenience! Psalm 15:1-2 says, “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your Holy Hill? He who walks in integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart.” I love what Spurgeon once wrote in his “Spurgeon’s Sermons, (Vol.11, p.24), “Certainly, the highest point to which the best unconverted man can go might well be looked upon as a level below which the converted man will never venture to descend.”
• It’s Death to the world spirit of perverted pleasures, immoral madness, and lawless living. In James 5:1 & 5 James spoke of the ones who ought to weep and howl for the miseries which are soon coming upon them…Who are they? Verse 5, “you who have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure.” I found it shocking and amusing and puzzling to hear Colin Powell say years ago when he was prominent in the ‘public eye’, “God doesn’t have a legislative agenda…”, and one has to ask, “What about the Ten Commandments and the whole of His “legislative Word”?
• It’s Death to the world spirit of unashamed alleges to a fallen, crucified sin-nature. The prophet Jeremiah illuminated God’s concern in Jeremiah 6:15, highlighting His awareness of a ‘sinful people’: “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down, says the Lord.”

“In Christ” we’re not shame-filled sinners – we’re sanctified saints; we’re not castaways – we’re the “chosen”; we’re not children of fallen, faithless men – we’re the children of Faithful God; we’re not earth-bound, groveling, wallowing men of a lower nature – we’re partakers of the divine nature and have been raised up to be seated with Christ in the heavenly places! We’re not the ‘slimy sinners of slippery streets carrying us to Hell’ – we’re the Savior’s sons and daughters set and sealed on the Highway of Holiness to the heavenly places!

You “In Christ” can serve those in the world, you can bless those in the world, but as children of God, we’re never to blend in “with them”, bend “with them” – we were ‘darkness’ as the world is, but NOW “in Christ” we ARE “Light in the Lord”!

• It’s Death to the world-spirit of devotion to the temporal, passing, fading, waning, earthly glory of this present world, as Jesus tells us in Luke 21:33-36! “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighted down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

FOURTH, THIS “WALK OF DEATH AND LIFE IN CHRIST” MUST BE ASSURED BY DEATH TO YOUR OWN IDENTITY! In John 3:23-30 we read, Now John (the Baptist) also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified – behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!’

John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but ‘I have been sent by Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. HE MUST INCREASE, but I MUST DECREASE.” Do you see it? Do you receive it?

Jesus MUST increase – I MUST decrease!

I don’t want to be known as James Farrell Fisher, but rather known as “follower of Christ”; not known as James Farrell Fisher, but known as “disciple of Christ”; not known in a ‘flesh identity’ but known as “Jesus’ good and faithful servant”; not known as Jim Fisher’s son, but known as “son of God”; not known as “a chip off the old block” but as “the apple of God’s eye”; not known as “ a trophy of devotion of man’s earthly best”, but known as “a trophy of dependence in God’s heavenly graces, mercies, and love”; not known as “one true to the best in men”, but “true to the best of God’s faithful provisions”; not known “as a man with a good reputation among kings and nations”, but “a man known and loved by the King of kings and Lord of lords”; not known as “a man with a passion for earthly success”, but “a man whose passion was, is, and forever will be LIKENESS TO GOD HIMSELF”!

Psalm 17:15 says, “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness: I will be satisfied with Your Likeness when I awake.” An old, old hymn from, I believe, the 1800’s, maybe earlier, I found in “The Editor’s Literary Estate, and Chatto & Windus, Ltd,” translated by Mary Elizabeth Byrne (1880-1931), says so much, entitled “Be Thou My Vision”. It’s importance here? This “Walk of Death And Life in Christ” MUST BE ASSURED BY DEATH TO OUR OWN IDENTITY! “In Christ”, He is our vision and reception of “eternal life”!

“Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Nought be all else to me, save that You art – You my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Your presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and You my true Word; I ever with You, and You with me, Lord; You my great Father, and I Your true son, You in me dwelling, and I with You one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, You my inheritance, now and always; You and You only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure You art.

High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven’s joys, O Bright Heaven’s Son! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.”

I remember Paulose telling my co-teacher, Dwayne Weehunt, on one of our many, many trips together to India, “Farrell’s going to die for the faith in India. I’m trying to decide on his best burial place.” [Well, at 80 years of age, if God wants me back in India to preach and teach and die there, I’m ready! But hear me – it’s not where you die but for WHOM YOU FACE DEATH!

In Billy Graham’s book, “Approaching Hoofbeats…The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, p.26, he wrote: “I look back on my many years as an evangelist, and I wonder, have I made the Christian faith look too easy? Even before I heard the expression, I have constantly borne in mind what Bonhoeffer called ‘cheap grace’.

Of course it is “by grace you have been saved through faith…not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Of course our salvation was a result of what Christ has done for us in His life and death and resurrection, not what we must do for ourselves. Of course we can trust Him to complete in us what He has begun…But ‘in my eagerness’ to give away God’s great gift, have I been honest about the price He paid in His war with evil? And have I adequately explained the price we must pay in our own war against evil at work in and around our lives?”

I close this chapter with our Lord’s words as great multitudes went to Him. In Luke 14:26-29, and Verse 33 we read: “If anyone desires to come to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him…Verse 33, So likewise, whoever of you who does not forsake all that he has he cannot be My disciple.”

Ira F. Stanphill wrote the old Hymn “Follow Me.” (Copyright, 1953 Singspiration Music/ASCAP. The Benson Company, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee). It says: “I traveled down a lonely road And no one seemed to care, The burden on my weary back Had bowed me to despair, I oft complained to Jesus How folks were treating me, And then I heard Him say so tenderly, “My feet were also weary, Upon the Calvary Road; The cross became so heavy, I fell beneath the load. Be faithful weary pilgrim, The morning I can see, Just lift your cross and follow close to Me.

“I work so hard for Jesus” I often boast and say, “I’ve sacrificed a lot of things To walk the narrow way. I gave up fame and fortune; I’m worth a lot to Thee,” And then I heard Him gently say to me, “I left the throne of glory And counted it but loss, My hands were nailed in anger Upon a cruel cross. But now we’ll make the journey With your hand safe in mine, So lift your cross and follow close to Me.

Oh, Jesus, if I die upon A foreign field some day, ‘Twould be no more than love demands No less could I repay. “No greater love has mortal man Than for a friend to die,” These are the words He gently spoke to me, “If just a cup of water I place within your hand Then just a cup of water is all that I demand, But if by death to living They can Your glory see, I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.” Amen?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“CHAINED –A SUPERNATURAL AWARENESS AND BLESSING”

Come with me to Acts 26:24-29 where I, without hesitation, believe the sincerity of Paul when he said to Agrippa, after being accused by Festus who said of him, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” But he said, “I am not made, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced none of these things escapes his attention, since this things was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Agrippa then said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” OH, and then Paul said: “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

Paul would have, in the flesh much rather been free of those ‘chains’ to travel and preach the gospel anywhere and everywhere, but the truth is those “chains” defined him.

On a particular occasion, the philosopher, Josiah Royce, was in his study at Harvard conversing with a young student when suddenly the student asked Dr. Royce, “What is your definition of a Christian?” And the philosopher responded, “I don’t know how to define a Christian…But wait,” he added, looking out the window, “there goes Phillips Brooks.”

And when YOU look at Paul, you say, “There goes Paul, ‘the prisoner of the Lord”! When you look to Acts 25, you find Festus, the governor, King Agrippa and his wife Bernice, and Verse 23 says they came “with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, and at Festus’s command Paul was brought in.” Question?

WHO WAS REALLY FREE? The prominent men of the city or the precious disciple of the Christ? The commanders of earthly armies or the “Conqueror” in the Heavenly Kingdom? The governor or the one Godly-Governed?

Just because men walk paved streets doesn’t mean they’re free! Just as women are able to do as they please, it doesn’t mean they’ve been truly liberated! Just as ‘worldly teens’ throw off all restraints, it doesn’t mean they’re void of bondage!

The freest man in the king’s court was Paul, including the king who was “enslaved to his old sin nature”! And, what are ‘natural chains’ on a man’s heart when YOU ARE “free in the Spirit”? In John 8:32 Jesus proclaimed, “And you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free”!

And because of our “blood-bought redemption”, Romans 6:22 says, we, “HAVING BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN, AND HAVING BECOME SLAVES OF GOD.” WHAT A GLORIOUS BLESSING! From “slaves of sin, the old sin-nature, and the chains of Satan”, in Christ, through repentance toward God and faith in Christ’s “finished work” at the Cross, we become “servants of God”, “Servants of Christ”, led by the Spirit of God to be instruments in the lives of others around us who are “chained” by the devil!

Roman 8:2 declares, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made “us” free from the law of sin and death.” And “in Christ” we who have been redeemed by His blood have been commissioned by our Lord and Savior as His ‘front-line’, ‘freedom-fighters’ , even if it means ‘chains’ like Paul!

Charles T. Leber wrote: “The church is a revolutionary power, but the Christian revolution is not a revolt of violence; it is the inevitable and righteous revolution which demands that things be changed and man made free.”

Even Abraham Lincoln, in the hour of his Gettysburg Address said ‘prophetically’: “…THAT THIS NATION, Under God, shall have a ‘new birth of freedom,.” So, Jesus said in John 8:36, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

In this Chapter, “Chained – A Supernatural Awareness and Blessing”, notice: FIRST, THE CHAINS OF DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN AS WE SERVE FAITHFULLY, TO BRING US FULLY INTO HIM: In Deuteronomy 6:23 Moses said: “Then God brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers.” WHAT A “BLESSING”! WE’RE NO LONGER “THERE”. We’re not in “Egypt” any longer, we’re not ‘slaves’ laboring with “mud and straw” building Satan’s kingdom, we’re no longer those subject to an alien, enemy-of-God power! But momentarily we’re not in “the Land” yet either – initially, it’s those ‘wilderness wanderings’ , headed toward the “land of Promise”, understanding our early days of “pilgrimage” MAY FACE That, and it wasn’t and isn’t “a piece of cake.”

That’s why we read in Deuteronomy 8:16, “God fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might test you, “TO DO YOU GOOD IN THE END –“. God said to Israel through Jeremiah (48:10), “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Job 23:10 says, “But God KNOWS the WAY that I take; when He HAS TESTED ME, I SHALL COME FORTH AS GOLD.”

Too many are so ‘short-sighted’ in the things of the Spirit. Too often we don’t see beyond our noses! In Psalm 66:8-12 David sang: “Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard…Who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved…For You, O God, have proved us; You have refined us as silver is refined…You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs…You have caused men to rule over our heads; we went through fire and through water: BUT YOU BROUGHT US OUT TO RICH FULFILLMENT.”

I remember Mark Handy, on one of our mission-trips together, preaching: “We’re ‘money’ in God’s pocket and He can spend us as He pleases.” Why? Because God knows His desire for us in the finished product of His redemptive faith! And, yes, there will be, at times, “chains” of difficult circumstances, even as we serve faithfully, to bring us fully into Him!

SECOND, THERE ARE THE “CHAINS” OF OPPORTUNISTIC WITNESS: Here’s the Question: “Would God, who knows the End from the Beginning, allow chains, difficult circumstances, would He allow the bread of adversity and the waters of affliction in you, over you, around you, through you to give opportunity to you to bear witness to “saving grace”? And, the Answer? YES!

Paul was not only the “spiritual prisoner of the Lord”; He was also, at times, a “Literal prisoner of the Lord” (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1!). But listen to what Paul said to the church at Philippi in Philippians 1:12-13! “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things WHICH HAPPENED TO ME have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ…”!

Do you remember ‘the Philippian jailor’ in jailor in Acts 16 in ‘fear’ over a ‘great earthquake’ saying to Paul and Silas,? “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said “ Believe in (trust in, rely upon, adhere to) the Lord Jesus Christ, you and your household,” with Verse 32 telling us “they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” “Opportunistic witnessing – the whole household received and rejoiced in the Truth!”

THIRD, THERE ARE ALSO “CHAINS” OF EXPERENTIAL ENCOURAGEMENT. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Paul witnessed to the church of God in Corinth, with all the saints in all Achaia: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, IT IS FOR YOUR CONSOLATION AND SALVATION, which is effective for enduring the same conflicts which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.”

In Philippians 1:14 he wrote: “and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident BY MY CHAINS, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

William Barclay, in his commentary on Corinthians, (p.191), told of a Mr. Barrie whose mother lost her dearest son, and the living son said: “That is where my mother got her soft eyes and why other mothers ran to her when they had lost a child,” because, as it was said of Jesus, Hebrews 2:18, “For in that He Himself suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” ARE YOU CHAINED AS A SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT? DO YOU MAKE YOURSELF, ONCE CHAINED, TO BE THE MODERN-DAY MESSENGER OF ENCOURAGENT TO OTHERS BECAUSE YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THEIR PAIN?

FOURTH, WHAT ABOUT SHARING “THE CHAINS OF CONVICTION” RELATING TO OUR “SUFFICIENCY”? Get ready! 2 Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul enlightens us all! He said: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore MOST GLADLY I will rather boast in my infirmities, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Go back to 2 Corinthians 9:8 noticing what Paul wrote earlier: “AND GOD…(is that the explanation of your walk of discipleship or Poor Me – Strong Me – Weak Me – Independent Me – Able Me? OR.. “And God…”?!?!? “God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always HAVING ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, may have an abundance FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”

The question of the moment? “Are YOU chained to the conviction of God’s sufficient?” Philippians 4:19! “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

FIFTH, AND PLEASE BE AWARE OF “THE CHAINS OF RELEASE, BY GOD, TO AN EFFECTIVE TESTIMONY! What do you do with a John Mark who ‘fled’ when Jesus was being arrested, leaving the linen cloth behind, running away naked? And YET the totality of his experiences prepared him to be God’s “witness to testify and eventually write the Gospel of Mark?

How do you respond to a Peter who denied the Lord unless you see through even the pain of failure TO God’s release of a man to be an instrument in His hands to pen two precious epistles? What’s the significance of the Pauline epistles if you fail to see the blue flame of a disciple’s experiences warming believers hearts to a victorious, overcoming faith?

How do you fit a servant of God in exile on the isle of Patmos if you don’t see God’s preparations for all His future disciples that end the end are able to say, “WE WIN!”?

Whatever you find yourself going through, God is readying your release to an effective testimony for the sake of others! Helen Roseveare was a medical doctor in the heart of the African Congo. In 1965 she wrote a book entitled “Doctor Among Congo Rebels”.

In the book she described the horrific experiences that she and other missionaries there had to endure. She told of arrest, of unending questions, of imprisonments, of shameful indignities, of physical sufferings – even rape and murder.

What this precious disciple witnessed and experienced could have been her death physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, but because of her devotion to the Word and to the Spirit of Christ, she not only survived but conquered. Her book came out of her daily diary and her experiences. And on multitudinous pages she wrote prayers of thanksgiving, praise to God, testimonies of endurance – ‘RELEASED BY GOD FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS!’ Are you persuaded?

What did Paul say effectively to us? Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

SIXTH, WHY NOT NOW JUST CHOOSE TO ERUPT IN THE “CHAINS OF PROVIDENCE” BY GOD CHOOSING YOU TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS FOR THE LORD’S HONOR AND GLORY AND PRAISE! In Acts 9:15-16 we read, But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine, TO BEAR MY NAME, before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel…For I will show him how many things he must suffer FOR MY NAME’S SAKE.”

Do you remember Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers? But listen to this ‘man of faith’ when he was reconciled to his brothers: Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, you meant evil against me: but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, TO SAVE MANY PEOPLE ALIVE.”

Take the time as you read Philemon’s testimony squeezed in between Titus and Hebrews from the apostle! Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ – I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave – a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay – not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.” Do YOU see the “Chains of Providence” in that and the resulting blessings?

Oh, and how about Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:8-10? “REMEMBER that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead, according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, EVEN TO THE POINT OF CHAINS; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also MAY OBTAIN the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” And those “chains of providence” are to be seen by us as “chains of privilege” in honoring our Lord and Savior!

SEVENTH, THE “CHAINS OF PRIVILEGE AND PROVIDENCE” ARE ALSO TO BE SEEN AS THE “CHAINS OF PRIVILEGE” IN LEARNING THE POWER OF PRAYER! Look with me at Acts 12:5-17! Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise, quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked on the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

Oh, but then look at the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, and what he learned about “the power of prayer”! In Jeremiah 32:1-3 and Verses 17-19 we read: The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house. For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it…; Then,

Verses 17-19 says, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them – the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” NOW

Jeremiah 33:1-3, and Verse 14! Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, “Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Verse 14, “Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah…”

Dr. Leonard Griffith, in his book on “Ephesians: A Positive Affirmation”, (p.170), wrote of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “He himself was a man of regular disciplined prayer. His daily devotions in the Nazi prison camp gave him such stability and calmness that his fellow prisoners and even the wardens sought every excuse to find comfort in exchanging a few words with him. Bonhoeffer’s prayer life made him strong in the presence of his enemies, even his last enemy, DEATH. Our last picture of him is the picture of a man praying on the morning of his own execution. It comes from the prison doctor who wrote many years later: “Through the half-open door of a room in one of the huts I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer, still in his prison clothes, kneeling in fervent devotion and prayer to the Lord his God. The devotion and evident conviction of being heard that I saw in the prayer of this intensely captivating man moved me to the depths.”

EIGHTH, LET’S CONSIDER THE “CHAINS OF CONFINEMENT” WITH THE “PRISON OF PRAISE”! In Acts 16:22-26 we read, Then the multitude rose up against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep hem securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

[Please pause and reflect upon Isaiah 43:21! This is where the prophet Isaiah heard: “This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.”)

Now, hear me! Do you realize how many psalms of praise were birthed in the furnace of affliction? Do you realize how many songs of worship and adoration have overflowed out of the “flood stages” of the saints’ sufferings? Are you aware of the hymns of blessing about the name of our God that came out of the brokenness of one’s painful experiences?

And what psalmist or song writer would say, “It was useless, unfair” when their experiences brought them to the prison of praise? Psalm 118:15 says: “The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. What’s the ‘testimony’ of your tent?”

NINTH, EXAMINE THE “CHAINS OF EVER-OPENING WIDE AND EFFECTUAL DOORS” In Acts 19:21 we read, When these things were accomplished, Paul purposed in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”! Another vital Word about those “chains of ever-opening wide and effectual doors”? Come to Romans 1:8-12! It says:

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established (or “made to stand”!) – that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”

In 1 Corinthians 16:9 Paul wrote about “a great and effective door has opened to me..”. Oh, and then in Revelation 3:7-8 we read, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.’ “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

What is God up to in and through YOUR life? How Holy God so wanted to use and bless Israel as an instrument in His hands, but they would not allow it according to His purpose and plan. Holy God even challenged them through Isaiah when He challenged them, Isaiah 54:2-3, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwelling; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.” Israel didn’t! Will you?

TENTH, LET’S EXAMINE BRIEFLY “THE CHAINS OF A PERFECTING PROCESS”! IN Hebrews 12:3-11 we’re enlightened about God’s passionate disciplines for our eternal delight! “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discourage in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

“The Chains of a Perfecting Process”? The chastening of the Lord? Rebuked by Him? Loved by Him ‘while He whips’ your ‘butt’? The Reminder of ‘forgotten exhortations’? ‘Rebuked by Him?’ ‘Chastened and scourged’ by Him? Readily in subjection to the Father of spirits in order to live the victoriously life? And as a result, receiving gladly and warmly ‘the peaceable fruit of righteousness’, because, yes, we’ve been trained by it?

LASTLY, LET’S REFLECT UPON “THE CHAINS OF THE UNVEILING OF THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST WITHIN”! Romans 8:29, “For whom He (GOD THE FATHER) foreknew, He also predestined to be CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, that He (JESUS) might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

It was Robert J. McCracken who once said: “We on this continent (of America) should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs, but to secure liberty for their souls.”

Are YOU ‘secure in Christ’ and the liberty He promises? And there is NO TRUE LIBERTY until WE’RE WILLFULLY CHAINED AND STAMPED BY THE LIVING IMAGE OF CHRIST’S ABIDING PRESENNCE!

In the old “American Hymnal” published by THE BROADMAN PRESS, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, 1933, there is a hymn by C. Wordsworth and arr. By L. Mason, entitled “O Day of Rest and Gladness.” It says:

“O day of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light, O balm of care and sadness, Most beautiful, most bright; On you, the high and lowly, bending before the throne, Sin, Holy, Holy, Holy, To the great Three in One.

On You. At the creation, the light first had its birth; On You, for our salvation, Christ rose from depths of earth. On You, our Lord victorious The Spirit sent from Heaven; And thus on you most glorious A triple light was given.

Today on weary nations The heavenly manna falls; To holy convocations The silver trumpet calls, Where gospel light is glowing With pure and radiant beams, And living water flowing With soul-refreshing streams.

New graces ever gaining From this our day of rest, We reach the rest remaining To spirits of the blest. To Holy Ghost be praises, To Father and to Son; The Church her voice upraises To You, blest Three in One.” AMEN?

CHAPTER TWENTY

“AWARENESS AND APPROPRIATION

OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT”

Daniel Webster’s “1828 Dictionary” defines “contentment” as: “a resting or satisfaction of mind without disquiet…satisfaction which holds the mind in peace…”.

Henry Ward Beecher was a prominent Congregationalist minister, professor, even strong political activist, and was called by some in the 1850’s to 1880’s (?) as one of the stoutest orators among the clerics in his day. The “Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations” [Edited & Compiled by Frank S. Mead and published by Fleming H. Revell Company, Westwood New Jersey] shared one of his statements: “There is a sense in which a man looking at the present in the light of the future, and taking his whole being into account, may be contented with his lot: that is Christian contentment. – But if a man has come to that point where he is so content that he says, “I do not want to know any more, or do any more, or be any more,” he is in a state in which he ought to be changed into a mummy!”

Proverbs 12:28 is very clear: “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” That’s the “crossroads” thing; it’s the ‘free will of man’ choices of life or death, blessing or cursing, hot or cold, up or down, in or out, Spirit or flesh, righteousness or disobedience, contentment or discontentment, LIFE “IN CHRIST” or “pretense in self-will”?

If there is “The Life in Christ of DIVINE CONTENTMENT”, there must also be a life of selfish, devilish discontentment. If there is a Life of peace that passes all understanding, there must be a lack of peace that seems to stile the life’s clock. If there is the Life of divine rest, there must be a life of disturbing restlessness. If there is a celebratory way of Life, there must be a survival mode of life of trying to fill the emptiness.

If there is an explosion of Life at its fullest – exciting, fulfilling, satisfying, there must be an implosion of a life filled with boredom, dissatisfaction, even dismay, if one got ‘gut-level’ honest!

If there is a Life governed by the joy of the goal and the guarantee of its fulfillment, there must be a life so aimless, filled with sadness, and no hope of anything different, but you work at it, but it’s meaningless!

If there is a Life on the cutting edge of meaning and purpose, teeming with abundant blessing, then there must be a life so aimless, filled with sadness and disillusionment, and no hope of anything different!

If there is a Life of bountiful beauty, blue skies shining even through the darkest clouds, there must be a life of zero or little expectancy, dark clouds hovering over every avenue of one’s being.

If there is a life of ‘maximized manhood’ under the Master’s control, there must be a life of minimized, mixed, manipulated manhood under the Devil’s miserable control filled with false promises and ending with empty results.

If there is a life of openness to the broad places of abundant provisions, body, soul, and spirit, there must be a life shut in to dead-end streets, void of any ‘eternal’ victory, not overcoming but overcome, not rising high but falling further into a deep hole of hopelessness.

I there is a life where everything is “on target” because it IS God-centered, there must be a life where everything misses the mark because it is centered in SELF and not in the SAVIOR!

If there is a life based and blessed on the boldness of God’s unchanging, unceasing, unconditional love, there must be a life cursed by a famine of love, filled with rejection, disappointment, and emptiness.

If there is a life of God-chasing, filled with an unending passion to know Him, permeating with an insatiable hunger to live in His presence, resulting in the flow of Divine Life and that more abundantly, there must be a life of self-serving emphasis centered on me, my, and mine with the end result of a starvation diet producing only death, distraction, and discontent.

If there is a Life on “High Level”, the Upper Room blessing of Oneness with all Christ is, and the Glorious Light of His radiant presence showing “the Way”, there must be life on a low level, the lower dungeon-living of all I am without Him – prison-bars (most of my own making), cesspools of stinking, rotting, dead flesh, or ‘snakes’ and ‘dragons’ of demon powers feeding off my sin and iniquity, AND the darkness of the soul that curses and hates “the Light”.

If there is a life of DIVINE CONTENTMENT THAT SPIRITUALLY PROSPERS ME AND FILLS ME WITH ETERNAL PLEASURE, there must be a life of fleshly discontentment that bankrupts one’s soul and fills him with eternal displeasure – NOTHING EVER SATISFIES!

BUT THAT’S NOT US “IN CHRIST”! It’s not LIFE with a little ‘l’ but LIFE with the big ‘L”! God spoke to Jeremiah, (6:16), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find REST for your souls, but they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

But here’s the Psalmist (16:11), “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

In Psalm 27:4 we hear from a “CONTENTED MAN”: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” And there’s a reason:

Psalm 63:1-4 enlightens us: “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” “I SURRENDER!”

In John 10:10 Jesus is speaking: “The thief does not some except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have Life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

I want you to come with me to Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-23, and 3:10-12, 14-19. It says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.”

Verses 15-23 declares: Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come, (Plus)

Ephesians 3:10-12, 14-19, to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Verses 14-19, For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Receive words from Jonathan Edwards (Jonathan Edwards, “The Christian Pilgrim,” THE WORKS OF JONTHAN EDWARDS, Vol.2 (Banner of Truth Trust, 1974, p.244):

“The enjoyment of [God] is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the Ocean.” Let me remind you of ‘why’ our lives should be constantly filled with “Divine Contentment”, Aware of it and Appropriating it!

FIRST, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING OF “RESTING” IN THE FINISHED WORK OF ANOTHER, EVEN CHRIST THROUGH THE “BETTER” COVENANT OF GRACE.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “Blessed is the man who TRUSTS in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord…For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

The “blessed man” is one who does what? “Trusts in the Lord.” From that Holy Hill called Mount Calvary there came the cry of the “Conqueror” in conquest, even as He died, “IT IS FINISHED!!” The transaction was complete. The “blood covenant” fully implemented!

Follow Hebrews 7:22-27, 9:11-15, 24-28! “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

9:11-15, But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

9:24-28,For Christ has not entered the holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another – He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

We “REST” because (1 Corinthians 6:20), we’ve been bought with a price! That price according to 1 Peter 1:19 is “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 3:19 then says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.”

Oh, and then in 1 Peter 2:24 we learn, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.” To Timothy (1 Peter 2:5) Paul said, “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

To the church at Ephesus (Ephesians 1:7) Paul declared: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the FORGIVENESS OF SINS, according to the riches of grace.” In Verse 143 he added, “In Him you also TRUSTED, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, HAVING BELIEVED (trusted in, relied upon, adhered to), you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise…”.

Edward Mote and William B. Bradbury wrote the hymn, “My Hope is Built”, (The American Hymnal, by Robert H. Coleman, Broadman Press, Nashville, Tenn.1933).

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

SECOND, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING OF EXCHANGED IDENTITIES! When Paul addressed his letter to the Philippians, he did it like this (1:1), “TO ALL THE SAINTS IN CHRIST JESUS…”! Even to the Corinthians he wrote: (1 Corinthians 1:2), “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those WHO ARE SANCTIFIED IN CJHRIST JESUS, CALLED TO BE SAINTS…”

“In Him”, we’re no longer ‘sinners’, not even ‘saved sinners’, but by His grace we’re declared ‘saints’! We’re not the unjust any longer, we’ve been justified! We’re not the ‘disqualified’ because of our sin or sin nature, but according to Colossians 1:12 we “give thanks to the Father who has QUALIFIED us to be partakers of the inheritance of saints in the light.” We’re no longer sons of men, but according to Ephesians 1:5 God “predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” That’s sons and daughters of God!

“In Him,” we’re no longer children of wrath, but according to Ephesians 2:3, what we were we are no longer; now we’re children of His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), children of grace and mercy.”

The ‘old creation’ is dead; Now we’re “in Christ” the “new creations”! We Were of the First Adam – NOW we’re of the family of faith, the “Second Adam.” We were “tares” NOW? By transformation, we’re “Wheat”. We were ‘sons of the devil’, but Now we’re “sons of God”!

Paschal (Quoted in Foster, Devotional Classics, p.253)), has God saying this: “It is I who have made you and I alone can teach you what you are. But you are no longer in the state I made you. I created you holy, innocent, perfect, I filled you with light and understanding, I showed you My glory and My wondrous works. Your eye then beheld the majesty of God. You were not then in the darkness that now blinds your sight, nor subject to death and the miseries that afflict you. But you could not bear such great glory without falling into presumption. You wanted to make yourself your own center and do without My help. You withdrew from my rule, setting yourself up as My equal in your desire to find your happiness in yourself and I abandoned you to yourself.”

WHAT A DILEMMA! But God gave us deliverance! WHAT A SHALLOWNESS! But God gave us His salvation! WHAT A HELL-HOLE! But God gave us His help! Without Christ, there’s always a battle of insecurity and insignificance – a war to fill the vacuum of our souls with something – but “in Christ” we are blessed with a heavenly security of eternal significance.

We’re not the “guilty” – we’re declared innocent by the blood of the Lamb. We’re not the “hopeless” – we’re the “called-out ones”. We’re not the “meaningless” – we’ve been birthed into and equipped as soldiers in the army of Christ to advance the Holy Kingdom of God. We’re not “spiritual jail-birds” – we’re our Savior’s Jesus freaks and fools for His sake!

C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work. I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cut a branch here and there, I want to have the whole tree down. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked – the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. I will give you Myself; My own will shall become yours.” Then out of Larry Crabb’s book, “The Safest Place on Earth.” (Word Publishing, Nashville, Tenn., 1999, p.108)], he wrote:

“He (God) poured out His righteous anger on Jesus, who never sinned, so He could pour out His boundless love on people like us who couldn’t do anything but sin…It’s a position, a standing before Him in the courtroom that lets us walk away from the criminal’s docket fully acquitted, with no record of crime and no probationary period to see how we do…And then the judge steps out from behind the bench, puts on street clothes, and invites us to His place for coffee. We now spend time with Someone who is actually and completely pure – and we belong. We fit.”

Can YOU rest in that? Are you content with the “new identity: IN CHRIST”?

THIRD, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE WE’RE AWARE OF GOD’S UNENDING ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES. Let’s go all the way back to that solemn picture of deliverance in the Old Testament and see its parallel with us! Deuteronomy 4:37-37 says, “And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; AND HE BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT (the World) WITH HIS PRESENCE, WITH HIS MIGHTY POWER…driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, TO BRING YOU IN, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day.”

GOD “In Christ” BROUGHT US OUT! TO DO WHAT? To leave us alone in a wilderness of incompleteness, short of our destiny and destination? No! God brought us out TO BRING US INJ TO THE FULLNESS OF THE BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST! Deuteronomy 8:3 says,

“So God humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone: but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Psalm 17:7 tells us that He “saves us by His right hand…” Psalm 31:15 tells us that “my times are in God’s hand…”. Psalm 32:4 says, His “heavy hand (is) upon me…”

Psalm 37:24 says, He “upholds him with His right hand.”

In Strong’s Concordance, six full pages in very small print, mostly tells us of the Hand of God in our lives! Church, disciples, followers, He does not leave us to ourselves! HE’S ABLY ACCEPTED FULL AND SOVEREIGN RESPONSIBILITY FOR US OF THE REDEMPTIVE FAITH IN CJHRIST JESUS!

I Peter 4:11 says, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. AMEN.”

And, if you’re willing to receive Peter’s previous word, then stand in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” In Chapter Two of Philippians, Verse 13, Paul also said, “for it is God who works IN YOU both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” That’s ‘clay’ in the hands of the “Master-Potter”! In fact, I Thessalonians 5:24 declares, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will bring it to pass.”

FOURTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING OF ABUNDANT GRTACE AND THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT BIRTHED WITHIN ME THE REIGNING, OVERCOMING LIFE! Romans 5:17 says, “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, MUCH MORE those who receive abundance of grace and of the GIFT of Righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” With Verse 19 added, “…and by one Man’s obedience (whose obedience? One Man, even Christ alone!) MANY (does that include YOU?) will be made righteous.”

Now consider: Made righteous by what YOU do or by WHO and WHAT Christ Jesus did in your place? What did Paul say in Philippians 3:9? “…and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ (and I might add, ‘faith in Christ alone!), but the righteousness which is from God by faith.” HOW RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU? On a scale of 1 to 10, how righteous are you since you are “in Christ”?

F.J. Huegel, in “Forever Triumphant” (Zondervan, 1955,pps.17-18) wrote: “It cannot be too earnestly stressed that all Christians come into the same glorious inheritance. They have receive Christ, and all things are theirs for they are Christ’s. In Him they are complete. With Him they have been raised up, and with Him they have been made to sit together in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5,6). In Him they died unto sin and were made alive unto God (Romans 6:11). Christ has been made unto them, of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1Corinthians 1:30). These things cannot, in a sense, be made more truly theirs than they already are. When God gives us Christ, His holy Son, to be our life, and this unspeakable gift is for all who will receive it by faith acknowledging themselves lost sinners in need of the gift; He does not do so by reservations. The whole gift is ours, not simply a part. We do not receive justification without sanctification. We are not brought into Christ piecemeal. Paul, in a sense, had no more of Christ than the poor drunkard, who only yesterday in some mission hall heard the Gospel, repented, believed, trusted, received Christ as his Savior and was born again.” So true! Born again to what? TO ALL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST!!

1 John 4:17 says: “…as He is, so are we in this world!” 2 Corinthians 5:21 is just as strong saying, “For He (God) made Him (Christ the Son) to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

FIFTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING OF ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE THAT I’M IN ON WHAT GOD IS UP TO IN THE HIGH AND HOLY CALLING OF WORLD REDEMPTION IN CHRIST!

In 2 Timothy 1:6-11 Paul is encouraging spiritual son Timothy to be fully aware of what the Father is up to in the Son through you and me as well as Timothy! “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, To which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

The prophet Jeremiah heard God speak! Jeremiah 9: 23-24 says, Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. [And Holy God chose YOU to share in the high and holy calling of world redemption in and through Christ, and you’re willing to be one of His ambassadors? “You shall BE My witnesses”!!

Look at 2 Corinthians 5:18-20! “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Larry Crabb again, (“The Safest Place on Earth”, Word Publishing, 1999,p.109) wrote: “A tabernacle in the wilderness once blazed with His glory. Now our souls radiate His presence in a dark world.”

John Piper, in “God’s Passion For His Glory” (Crossway Books, 1998, p.39), has written, “Our evangelistic task is not to persuade people that the gospel was made for their felt needs, but that they were made for the soul-satisfying glory of God in the Gospel.” Later, (p.109), Piper wrote: “The only public life of an evangelical that counts as virtuous is one that savors and celebrates the supremacy of God as the ground and goal of its public acts.”

SIXTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE BLESSING OF EXPECTANCY OF WHAT GOD INTENDS THROUGH IT ALL, UNTO HIS ULTIMATE END. Let’s cut to the chase! Romans 8:28 says, “And we know (do we?) that ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Then Jeremiah 24:5-7 is an exhilarating, uplifting passage! It says: “Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel: ‘Like these figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.” [At least the “remnant” returned but not all of Israel!].

1 Kings 8:56 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.”

Oh, and then the prophet Isaiah heard God because He knew there was going to be further work by God Almighty until, at least, the “remnant” of Israel relied upon what God said: Isaiah 48:10-11, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction…For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned?”

I know at times “we” feed on that “bread of adversity and that water of affliction” – FOR A PURPOSE! CONSIDER JESUS! In John 12:27-28 we read, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But FOR THIS PURPOSE I came to this hour… ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and I will glorify it again.”

Glory in the TROUBLE! Glory in the CROSS! Glory in the RESURRECTION! And do YOU sense it in your own pilgrimage? In Ephesians 1:11-12 Paul said, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will…that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

Oh, and then in Philippians 1:12-14 he wrote: “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ…AND most of the brethren in the Lord having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

It was September 10, 1999, when I boarded the Indian Airlines flight from Delhi to Amritsar. I was seated in 2D, right at the front. Across from me, with assistance, was seated Scott Chesny, a 29 year-old young man, paralyzed from the waist down by a rare stroke in his spinal cord at the age of 154. His wife was with him also. He was on a world tour doing several things: research, evaluation, and promotion of travel for the disabled, expanding awareness etc..I reached across the ailse and introduced myself. He noticed the book I was presently reading and asked if he could scan it quickly.

He told me they were presently going to see the Dalai Lama. And from within the Spirit of God moved and I began to pray for Scott Chesny. He was so open. I knew he was on a journey of discovery. I said to him, “Scott, 10 months ago I suffered from a horrible fall off my home-roof, destroying my left shoulder. I have an all-plastic shoulder now and it’s been so very painful. These 10 months I’ve sought to hear from God, “What is it in this You, God, have to say to me?” Then I said, “Scott, 14 years ago when you suffered your stroke, God was there. In His eternal love for you, He was calling you then and He’s calling you now. God has plans for your life far beyond anything you’ve ever dreamed. The Worthy Lamb waits for you to call Him out.”

Then Scott said, “Without faith, I would not have been able to make it. But the essence of His life within has seen me through thus far.” And I said, “Get ready, God has an ultimate goal for your life. Through it all, He wants to be honored through you.”

SEVENTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE ONENESS WITH CHRIST, LIVING IN THE FULLNESS OF HIS ABIDING PRESENCE, RELEASES ONLY THAT WHICH HE IS! In John 17:26 Jesus is speaking to the Father about us! “And I have declared to them Your name, and I will declare it, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Do we have a clue about this in Philippians 1:11? “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

CONTENTMENT!! Because we’ve recognized that utter indispensability of Christ Himself within us, and we know He alone satisfies! We’ve found our highest prize! John Piper again, (p.173), wrote: “GOD PRIZES HOLINESS IN THE CREATURE, AND HOLINESS IS PRIZING GOD!”

This is why Paul cried out, (Philippians 3:8), “I indeed count ALL THINGS loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ, and BE FOUND IN HIM…”

Dr. Crabb made another interesting statement, (p.135), “Our strategies to preserve and enhance the SELF reflect the godless energy of people who are determined, at all cost, to find themselves, without yielding center stage to Christ.” That’s not my desire! I do yield “center stage” to Jesus! I’m determined at all cost to find myself fully in Him and Him fully in me!

EIGHTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE OF THE PRECIOUS PRIVILEGE OF “WALKING IN THE SPIRIT”, NOT STIFLING AND SUFFOCATING AND REMAINING OR DYING IN THE FLESH!

Ephesians 1:13 says, “…sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” In John 16:7 Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away (necessary, expedient): for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I WILL send Him to you.”

Hear me! Jesus knew we couldn’t honor or glorify Him on our own. God the Father knew it. No provision or Person necessary for our Victory in Jesus was left out of God’s eternal scheme of things. It’s why Paul wrote to the Galatian church, (Galatians 3:3), “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”

I think I hear the Spirit say: “Relax, children of faith. Take a deep breath and trust Me to honor Christ through you!” Is this why Paul said in Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”? How about the daily prayer of: “Breathe on me…Breathe on me…Holy Spirit, breathe on me, take thou my heart, cleanse every part, Holy Spirit, BREATHE ON ME,” throughout my earthly journey and for eternity!

NINTH, WE’RE FILLED WITH DIVINE CONTENTMENT BECAUSE, AS THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD, WE REJOICE IN HIM ABOVE EVERYTHING-WE’VE FOUND OUR PURPOSE!! Isaiah 43:21 says, “This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.”

What does Psalm 47:1-2 tell us? “Oh, clap your hands, ALL YOU PEOPLES! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.” But just NOT YOU?

John Piper, in his book I mentioned earlier, (pps.36-37),wrote: “SIN IS SACRILEGE AND SUICIDE – This is confirmed in Romans 1:23 where people ‘exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image.’ That is the deepest problem with sin: it is a suicidal exchange of infinite value and beauty for some fleeting, inferior substitute. This is the great insult…In the words of Jeremiah, God calls it appalling. “Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder, be very desolate, declares the Lord. For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 3:12-13). What is the essence of evil? It is forsaking a living fountain for broken cisterns. God gets derision and we get death. They are one; in choosing sugarcoated misery we mock the lifegiving God. It was meant to be another way: God’s glory exalted in our everlasting joy.”

Later, (p.79), Piper wrote: “…God is glorified not only by His glory’s being seen, but by its being rejoiced in,” followed by (p.108), “In other words, to delight in the good of all the universe, but not to delight in God, is like being glad that a candle is lit, but being indifferent to the rising sun.”

I believe the calling is not to be indifferent to but rejoicing in our eternal purpose of resting in and rejoicing in Him! Do you think it just might be why Paul wrote Philippians 3:12? “I PRESS ON, that I may lay hold of THAT FOR WHICH CHRIST JESUS HAS ALSO LAID HOLD OF ME”?

In Matthew 16:21 Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” Again, John Piper, being an avid student of the life and teachings of Jonathan Edwards, in his Book, “God’s Passion For His Glory,” (p.47), wrote: “What I owe Jonathan Edwards for guiding me in these things is incalculable. I love his words, ‘The happiest of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified and exalted.” But I also love to say it my way: “GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN US WHEN WE ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM!”

Satisfied? Contented in ‘flesh’? Or entered in to the Fullness? Blessed? Birthed, deformed, re-born, re-made, complete in Christ, lacking nothing?

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“FLESHLY DESIRES AND FLESHLY INTERPRETATIONS OR THE FULL COUNSEL OF GOD?”

“Fleshly desires and fleshly interpretations”? I don’t know how any ‘sane’ person can read Ephesians 2:1-3 and not be fully away of what Christ Jesus saves ‘fallen humanity’ from unless they’re totally brain and heart-dead! Paul said, “And you He made alive WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS, in which you once walked according to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, just as the others.”

And, of course, the ‘fallen away from God’ crowd have no awareness or understanding of walking “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” It’s really interesting as one reads the Word of God that you discover so much about devilish deception that Satan himself heaps on unbelievers! In 2 Timothy 2:24-26 Paul said: “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that THEY MAY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” How clear is that?

But it’s not only the ‘fallen’ who need awareness of the devil’s deception, but even true believers! In Revelation 12:17 we read, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

This, no doubt, is why Paul was so Spirit-inspired to write Ephesians 6:10-18 where he encouraged proper spiritual dress in the ‘warfare’ of men and women of redemptive faith being attired in the ‘whole armor of God’: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 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. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints –“

But coming to one’s senses to escape the snare of the devil is of utmost importance, as well as being fully aware of the ‘deception’ one has to face about his/her own sin nature that has separated ALL sinners from Holy God! In James 1:14-15 the brother of Jesus exposed the sad state of all men who are away from God. He said: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

There’s a “coming to one’s senses” in escaping the snare of Satan, but also coming to one’s senses about his/her willful choice of ignoring God, with no desire of glorifying Him or even thanking Him for the breath of life, but fully turned to futility in their thoughts, foolish in their hearts, being darkened even in their minds, exchanging the truth of God for the “lie”, (which means one can sin and not die!), willing in the “flesh” nature to not even retain God in their ‘knowledge’, and as Paul wrote in Romans 1:28-32,

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a DEBASED MIND, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

A “Christ-less life” is a life firmly committed to “fleshly desires” and “fleshly interpretations”, protecting those desires, even explaining them away as if there was no accountability before Holy God! And the majority, living under the ‘flag’ of ‘flesh-freedom’, have no understanding of what Paul said in Romans 5:6, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” “Flesh-freedom” is ‘without strength’, or spiritually helpless, or as Romans 6:23 declares: “For the wages of sin is death…”, spiritual death, separation from God, blinded to His intent, bankrupt of any heavenly blessing, and dominated by the powers of darkness!

Are you aware of “stones of stumbling” and “rocks of offense” that Peter told us about? He said that their “stumbling” lifestyle was because of “disobedience to the Word”! A “rock of offense” is the life of independence from Holy God, fully persuaded that fleshly lusts are normal and natural with no costly consequences!

Do you understand how easy it is to be conformed to a world philosophy of acceptance and conformity to worldly lusts, fleshly desires, and devilish ambitions which war against one’s soul? Are you aware of “the garment defiled by the flesh”? How destructive are “fleshly desires” and their FALSE “fleshly interpretations”? “It’s OK – we’re only human. God understands!” NO! He knows their deathliness and destruction and darkening of one in the blackness of hellish living under demonic domination! Jesus came to “set the captives free”! But most are content in their fleshly ‘chains’!

Have YOU been alerted to the ‘snares’, to the ‘traps’ of foolish and harmful lusts, to the very spiritual draining and, yes, drowning of foolish men and women in soul destruction, separation from God, and personal perdition that will eternally give them lives pierced through with unending sorrows and forever rooting of bad seeds with sick, sour, bitter ‘fruits’ served by the devil and his ‘flesh-force’ of demons every day, forever and ever in Hell?

“Fleshly desires and fleshly interpretations”? And some wage the war, at least, acceptable for themselves, without any consideration of “why did God create me, and what am I for”?, without one thought of divine, eternal intent. But Romans 1:18-19 declares: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who SUPPRESS THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.”

Examine Romans 1:20-22! “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, BECAUSE , although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…”!

Do you sense, see, surmise how easy it is for large numbers of people to substitute the treasures of divine truth for the “trash” of fleshly indulgences and the “untruths” of fleshly interpretations? The psalmist was so on target when in Psalm 119:9 he asked: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word, O God,” with his plea in Verse 10, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!” It’s so true: “Sin will keep you from the Word of God OR the Word of God will keep you from sin!”

It was Oswald Chambers in his treasure of Truth, in his book “My Utmost For His Highest”, who wrote: [p.243-244], “Beware of “the cares of this world” because they are the things that produce a wrong temper of soul. It is extraordinary what an enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention from God. Refuse to be swamped with the cares of this life.”

If “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work,” then does Hosea deliver us in the 21^st Century convicting judgments of national or personal warnings? In Hosea 4:6-7, the prophet challenged Israel and us when he heard God say to him and through him, “My people (God’s people) are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because YOU have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, (the revelation, the unveiling of His Holy Word and will), I also will forget your children. The more they increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame”!!!

But not Paul, not sold-out, surrendered, “spiritual” sons and daughters of redemptive faith and hope in Christ alone! In Galatians 6:14-15 Paul alerts us to examine ourselves: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For IN CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” HAVE YOU ACCEPTED THE REALITY OF YOUR CRUCIFIXION WITH CHRIST ON THE CROSS THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO OR STILL IN BONDAGE TO YOUR OLD SELF AND OLD SIN NATURE?

Are you even aware that there can be, and often is, a ‘counterfeit of outward allegiance’ apart from the desire to be one with God through Christ alone? It’s so interesting that, as you read Paul and his relationship to some followers, you find some who ‘walked away’ from the faith! In 2 Timothy 4:10 he wrote to his spiritual son in the faith, “Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world…”!

If you are a true disciple of Christ, you ought to be blessed, uplifted, and protected by your Savior’s prayer in John 17:9-19! “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, AND I AM GLORIFIED IN THEM.” [That’s a worthy statement that ought to grip you strongly in your journey of faith!].

Jesus went on to say, Verses 11-19, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified [set apart, surrendered to, relying upon] by the truth.”

“Fleshly desires and fleshly interpretations OR the full counsel of God”? In 2 Peter 2:4-10 we read, “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) – then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and ESPECIALLY those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.”

To WHAT or to WHO are you committed? Will YOU hold on to your right of self-determination, sinning and falling short of the glory of God, OR be one who truly understands, “being JUSTIFIED FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, WHOM GOD SET FORTH as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, BECAUSE in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just AND THE JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS.” [Romans 3:24-26!].

“Fleshly desires and fleshly interpretations OR the full counsel of God”? Fleshly desires promote fleshly pride that is spiritually powerless and cannot open the door to genuine blessing but only spiritual destitution and separation from the God who loves them, lost them, but even purchased salvation through the blood-shed of Jesus on Calvary’s Cross! There is no other way, but the way of the Cross, crucified with Christ, but then raised by the power of God TO the gift of the divine nature in and through Christ alone by His grace and mercy!

Romans 5:20b-21 declares: “But where sin abounded, grace abounded MUCH MORE, so that as sin reigned in death, EVEN SO GRACE might reign through righteousness TO ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” There IS “the miracle of new birth” in and through Christ alone! In John 3:5-8 Jesus declared: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water (the Word!) and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is Born of the Spirit.” Is that the “Full Counsel of God”, and if it is, and it is, have YOU received it AND been “born again” or just “joined a church”?

Rich in personal self-esteem is paralysis against receiving “the full counsel of God” – who wants what God offers when one is so “rich” in himself!?! There is a world around you, sometimes even in some churches (?), where one “does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, but is proud, KNOWING NOTHING (spiritually), but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose godliness is (simply, for them) a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. (That’s 1 Timothy 6:3-5!).

Fanny J. Crosby and Robert Lowry gave us the old hymn, “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” published in the American Hymnal of 1933 by Robert H. Coleman. It says:

“All the way my Savior leads me; What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my Guide? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell, For I know whate’er befall me, Jesus does all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me, Cheers each winding path I tread, Gives me grace for every trial, Feeds me with the living bread. Though my weary steps may falter, And my soul athirst may be, Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me; Oh, the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised In my Father’s house above. When my spirit, clothed immortal, Wings its flight to realms of day, This my song through endless ages: Jesus led me all the way.”

“Fleshly desires and fleshly interpretations or the full counsel of God”? Do you live by the resplendency of God’s glory in all its fullness? In John 1:14 John bore witness to the “full counsel of God” In Christ when he wrote: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, FULL OF GRACE AND FULL OF TRUTH.” Are you walking in His fullness with grace for grace?

In Ephesians 1:15-22 we see the “true fruit” of a life walking in “the full counsel of God”: Paul said: “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”

And, now, in the 21^st Century, in YOUR life, is He fully expressing Himself in His full counsel? Has He “made YOU alive in Him” to reveal Himself through YOU?

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“AMIABLE REBELS OR ANOINTED RULERS?”

“Amiable”? The Random House Collegiate Dictionary defines ‘amiable’ as “having or showing a friendly, willing disposition” – and when it comes to a “rebel”, it defines one as “a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition; rebellious, defiant” – SO…amiable rebels may be ‘friendly to’ but not willing to submit to one’s authority, and especially to God Himself!

Amiable may be one who is ‘friendly’ to his ‘belief’ in Christ without being one fully surrendered to His Lordship of one’s life because they possess a ‘fetish’ of ‘unquestioning reverence or respect’ but not full surrender to Christ’s Lordship! I was reading Oswald Chambers recently when he said: “It is easier to be a fanatic than a faithful soul, because there is something amazingly humbling, particularly to our religious conceit, in being loyal to God.” [“My Utmost For His Highest,” p.237].

The powerful Word of God is so illustrative of both ‘amiable rebels’ and ‘anointed rulers’ as, for instance, Matthew 11:1, where “Jesus finished commanding His disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities,” practically illuminating the difference between ‘amiable rebels’ and ‘anointed rulers’! True disciples of Christ are not ‘pretenders’ with vocal allegiances and no practical demonstration, but anointed lives in mission service to the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Early in this chapter I want you conscious of, alerted to, aware of conviction, conversion, and consecration. In Revelation 17 we are informed about those who are “of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Amiable rebels or anointed rulers?

In 1 John 2:15-20 there are highly descriptive words unveiling both the amiable rebels and the anointed rulers of any age, any country, any nation, even any church! The beloved John writes to both little children of the faith, to fathers of the faith, and to young men and women in the faith. He said: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But YOU have an anointing from the Holy Spirit, and you know all things.” DO YOU?

“Amiable rebels or anointed rulers”? I want you to come with me to 1 Samuel 12:13-15, and Verses 20-25! It relates to Saul’s coronation! “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. However (just how big do YOU think that ‘however’ is?), if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

Verses 20-25 then instructs us: Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. BUT IF you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

How very interesting is the life of Saul – ANOINTED BY GOD yet LIVING THE LIFE OF A REBEL! On one hand he confers with Samuel – on the other hand he consults a ‘medium’. On one hand he agrees with God’s prophet – on the other hand he does the very opposite. On one hand he appears sincere – on the other hand he revealed his true character. On one hand the molding seems sure – on the other hand he’s elastic, nothing sure or cemented in his heart or mind. On one hand he seems to be of a loving disposition – on the other hand there’s anger and bitterness and hostility!

Spurgeon said: (Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol.3, p.248), Saul “was too much of a fool to be desperately bad, though too wicked to be at any time good…”! A very sad evaluation of an amiable rebel though anointed as a ruler of the people! Let’s look at “anointed rulers” who are truly “amiable rebels”!!

FIRST, AMIABLE RULERS ARE IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY DETERMINE THAT ALTERED CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER OBEDIENCE! Let’s look at 1 Samuel 13:4-14! Now all Israel heard it said that Saul attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.

Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

Are you really acquainted with Romans 1:5-6? Paul said, “Through Him (Christ Jesus) we have received grace and apostleship FOR obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.”

And it is such a powerful and convicting statement Peter made in 1 Peter 4:17-19! “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”

SECOND, AMIABLE REBELS ARE UNVEILED AS THEY DETERMINE THAT PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS THE SAME AS PURE OBEDIENCE! Wrestle with 1 Samuel 15:1-23 if you’re up to it! It’s so unveiling and convicting when one assumes partial obedience is acceptable!

Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”

So Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and lay in wait in the valley.

Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, get down from among the Amalakites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from the Amalekites.

And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.

So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said, “Speak on.”

So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”

And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO HEED THAN THE FAT OF RAMS. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

Do you just happen to remember what the Lord Jesus said in Luke 6:46? “But WHY do you call Me, Lord, Lord, AND DO NOT DO THE THINGS WHICH I SAY?” And that, my friends, is a legitimate, convicting, LIFE-CHANGING QUESTION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED!

If you call Jesus Lord, why do you do some of the things He asks, but the rest you will not touch, try, trust, or attempt? Listen to Psalm 78:35-37!! “Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer…NEVERTHELESS they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant.” [Are you aware of faithfulness to our Lord’s blood covenant?].

Psalm 81:8-16 reveals both ‘fleshly stupidity’ in professors of faith AND the ‘passionate heart of God’ in seeing those He loves fulfilling His Word, not pretending! It says: “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me!

There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. I AM THE LORD your GOD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me.

So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries.

The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.” Are YOU ‘sinking’ or are YOU “satisfied” as you truly “rest” in Christ alone?

THIRD, AMIABLE REBELS ARE UNVEILED AS YOU SEE THEM DETERMINING THAT BLAMING OTHERS ABSOLVES THEM OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE HOLY GOD! Again, 1 Samuel 15:21, Saul excuses himself and blames his own people! “But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

Where does “blaming behavior” come from rather than personal accountability before Holy God? Let’s go all the way back to Genesis 3:11-12! And God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”…Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, SHE GAVE ME OF THE TREE, AND I ATE.” “Blaming behavior”?

In Exodus 32:21-24 we are confronted with another attitude of reckless, stupid, senseless, “blaming others” excuses: And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?” So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.” Really?

FOURTH, AMIABLE REBELS EXPOSE THEIR TRUE COLORS WHEN THEY DETERMINE, FOR THEMSELVES, DELAYED JUDGMENT IS NO JUDGMENT! And this is clearly unveiled from 1 Samuel 15:23 – 1 Samuel 31!! (Take the time to read, receive, and rest in Holy revealed Truth!).

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 says, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear God.”

I’m convinced David understood one’s “coming judgment” before Holy God and His Throne when, in Psalm 36:6 he said, “Your righteousness, God, is like the great mountains…YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE A GREAT DEEP…” {or FATHOMLESS}! And every man will stand before Him to give an account or try to explain their faith or lack of it!

The “deep judgments” of God ought to be a call to Deep repentance, deep reunion, deep communion, deep determination to honor and please our Lord and Savior, yes, daily taking the sentence of death unto ourselves that His resurrection life may be manifested in our mortal flesh!

Let me close this chapter with words from King David in Psalm 119:65-68, 71-72, and verse 75:

“You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe (trust in, rely upon, adhere to) Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.

Verses 71-72 says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of silver and gold.” And then,

Verse 75, “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”

I don’t know why, for some, that it takes ‘affliction’ to open the door of redemptive faith – but whatever, come to Him in repentance toward God and faith alone in the finished work of Christ at the Cross! Do you remember the words of Isaac Watts from his “At the Cross”?

“At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light, And the burden of my heart rolled away, It was there by faith I received my sight, And now I am happy all the day!” Amen?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE MOMENT OF TRUTH?”

In John 12: 20-28 is an awesome unveiling of the heart, the spirit, the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ! It says: Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who as from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’ But FOR THIS PURPOSE I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

There are varying moments of truth in all of life – crisis moments – but nothing to compare to the ultimate moment of truth which I’ll unveil in a moment. I’ve personally never been in a world war as a soldier or in the midst of heated battles. I had uncles, when I was very young, who used to tell me extraordinary war-time stories, one as a soldier and the other as flight engineer on a bomber. And certainly in the life of a soldier his moment of truth comes – all basic training may have been passed with flying colors, but the moment of truth is still to come on the battlefield.

I’ve been on the athletic fields of endeavor, football, basketball, and baseball. I’ve seen athletes with exceptional abilities, but the moment of truth came, and something was missing for some. When one is “under the gun” and the real game is on, and it’s tough – you find out about ‘pretense’ or “the real thing”!

What about a businessman and his moment of truth? You see a man, and everything seems to be going just fine, but a break here and a break there, all bad, and something happens. His moment of truth came and exposed his inner most being!

How about that moment of truth for that Christian young lady, confronted with the stubbornness of her passionate ‘friend’ who says, “If you love me, you’ll give yourself to me intimately, married or not.” She’s confronted with the question, “What is true love?” She’s confronted with barriers God built for her own protection. Will she break down those barriers or will she save herself to be given in purity in marriage to the man God has chosen for her?

Another moment of truth: Pressures are brought to bear, youth faced with their peer group and the power of acceptance, of popularity, “of becoming”: “Come on, have a drink! Don’t be a chicken. Prove you’re no isolated, immuned, holy-roller, inoculated, innocent freak. Get with it! Take that pill, drink that beer, shoot that vein! Be a part of the ‘now’ generation!”

The moment of truth comes! It’s a playboy’s world. “Eat, drink, be merry, for tomorrow you may die.” “You’re free – do your own thing.” Forget God, forget eternal truths and principles, don’t let the love of a cross, faithfulness, obedience, a Christ-like life be your bag.” Moment of truth comes.

The young man and young lady face the future. Marriage is a vitally important part of that future. Who will I date? Who will I allow myself to fall in love with? To whom will I give myself to? What kind of home do I want? What kind of partner will I have? Am I concerned about Christian foundations in building my future home? Am I concerned about marriage as a divine institution, ordained of God, a theocracy, a three-way partnership between myself, my partner, and my God? The moment of truth comes!

It comes to the young lady already married to an unbeliever, or that YOUNG MAN ALREADY IN BONDS OF MATRIMONY with one who does not share, or know, or love your Savior. What will he/she do? Will he/she seek to lift him up through prayer, will he/she faithfully set an example, will he/she allow the Spirit of Christ to so permeate that relationship that he/she discovers experientially that “love never fails”. Or will he/she, rather than lift, lower himself/herself to the partner’s level rather than to Christ’s? Will he/she accept the challenge of a constant Christian witness before unbelieving partners? Will he/she, having done all, to stand firm in the Lord?

The moment of truth comes: the rough winds of life blow. God is silent. “Suffering is no longer an abstract philosophical problem for a Sunday evening’s discussion, but a tornado battering the shattered comforts of home and leaving one wrecked.” Health is momentarily gone. The resources and bank accounts are depleted. Personal strength and stamina seem drained to the last drop. ‘Should I just curse God and die? Should I allow the swellings of my ‘Jordan River” of life to just sweep me away from devotion, love, faith, or hope?’

The moment of truth comes. The unseen and seen powers of the darkness of this present world seem bent on paralyzing me, pulverizing all that is pure, holy, decent, and godly in my life. I’ve committed my life to the Lord Jesus, but the Ahabs and Jezebels of this world are against me. The world around you wants you and me to face a spiritual collapse. Some have sounded a retreat from active participation with Christ on the field of battle. With Elijah there may be times in your spiritual walk when you want to find a juniper bush, saying, “No one cares for me! Life is not worth living – the Christian faith is a farce – I wish I were dead!”

Maybe, like Peter, you’ve denied your Lord and Savior, not three times but often, and your moment of truth comes, “Will I live in the ordinary and go back to “fishing” with Peter, or will I live in the extra-ordinary and walk with Kinh Jesus? Will I live in the natural or the super-natural? Will I live by ‘flesh’ or live by redemptive faith?

Will I walk with Jeremiah disappointed, disillusioned, dismayed by all that surrounds me? Will I resign my commission as prophet, servant, ambassador? Will I tell God, “You’ve deceived me, Lord.” And some do say, ‘I was deceived; this walk of faith is too hard, the promises aren’t real, and the rewards so minimal. Who needs to be faithful, loyal, obedient, not me?’

All these moments of truth will bear in upon us. But let me bring you to the ultimate moment of truth for your life, and it’s this: “What then will you do with Jesus which is called the Christ?” That IS the ultimate moment of truth for every single individual on the face of the earth, past, present, or future.

The Greeks came and said: “Sirs, we would see Jesus.” And in that divine confrontation, in that heavenly communication, in the living witness and example of Jesus Christ , there are scriptural admonitions one should take when confronted in their “moment of truth’!

FIRST, WHEN THE MOMENT OF TRUTH COMES THERE IS A WILL TO BE FOLLOWED. In John 12:27 we see Jesus praying to the Father: “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour? But for THIS PURPOSE I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”

The verses we’ve read in John 12 tell us how Jesus felt as a human being overshadowed now by suffering and death. “What shall I say? ‘Father, deliver Me out of this hour?’” But no! For this reason He came to that foreordained hour!

The actual death of Jesus had not yet come, but the “hour” or the “time” was close at hand. There was an hour – the Bible says “The hour”, a certain hour, a determined hour, a set hour, when the Son of God was to be glorified. I call it the “moment of truth” for in that hour Jesus Christ proved Himself to be God in great power, not only in the cruel crucifixion, but His historic Resurrection, and actual ascension into the clouds of glory! The moment of Truth came and in that moment there was a will to be followed!

Matthew 1:21 says, “And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” The will of God was to be fulfilled, and Jesus’ sacrificial death took place because Jesus, though saddened by the pain and suffering, said, “Father, not My will but Your will be done!” In John 3:17 we read, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” A will to be followed! In Matthew 20:28 the Holy Word declares, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” An eternal will to be followed!

Doesn’t the Word of God clearly declare: “And they crucified Him…”, “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world,”? God’s heart-felt, mind-full giving of His Son!

Yes, there is a will to be followed in the crisis moments of life! Whether soldier, athlete, businessman, daters, marriage, home, family, the Christian life and walk – in the life of every man there is the will to be followed, the will of God! Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” BUT… there is THE WAY which is right in the eyes of God, and its end is the Way of Resurrection Life, Resurrection Power, and Resurrection Hope! His name is Christ Jesus, Emmanuel, “God with us”!

There is a will to be followed in one’s attitudes toward life. There are conflicts in life with a will to be followed. There are decisions in life with a will to be followed. There is an aim, a goal, and a direction of life, and E. Stanley Jones nailed it when he once said: “A new measuring stick has been brought into being: it is not who you are but Whose.”

Off the seacoast of New England years ago a vessel sailed toward port through the teeth of a terrible North Atlantic storm. The ship began to break up, it lost its steering mechanism, and the ship smashed against the reefs. The captain and his men were thrown into the water and fortunately were able to climb onto a rock jutting out of the water from the reef. They spent the night on the rock in a raging storm. The next morning the tempest had subsided and the men were found, carried ashore, and then questioned. The Captain was asked, “When you were out on that rock all night weren’t you afraid? Didn’t you tremble?” The Captain answered, “Son, when I was out on that rock for the night, believe me, I trembled and I shook. But the rock that was under me, it never shook!”

As we go through the storms of life, as we face moments of truth, there is a Rock on which to stand…It never shakes! It’s the rock of the will of God!

SECOND, WHEN THE MOMENT OF TRUTH COMES THERE IS A PRICE TO BE PAID! Examine John 8:24! “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for IF you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

In John 10:18 the Lord Jesus declared: “No one takes My life from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I received from My Father.” Our Lord and Savior, in John 15:13, declared: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

And there was eternal purpose behind that awesome truth of God’s love when Paul shared in Galatians 1:3-4, “Grace to you and peace from God the Father AND our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that HE might deliver us from this present evil age, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF OUR GOD AND FATHER, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Yes, according to Holy Scripture, according to the pre-determined will of God, when the moment of truth came, there was a price to be paid! C.T.Studd once wrote: “If Jesus Christ be God, and He died for me, then no sacrifice is too great for me to make for Him.”

Yes, there IS a price to be paid! But too many ‘religious folk’ and too many ‘worldly folk’ live with an ‘easy, take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude, which is useless, nominal, ‘fair-weather’ relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, with far too many making ‘Christianity’ a ‘spectator sport’ for Sunday viewing only! But ‘the True Faith’ is not a spectator sport, but a life in the very arena of life as an active participant in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not even of the ‘substitute’ variety, but an ‘on-the-field’ active ‘player’!

So, what should I do when ‘the moment of truth’ comes, and I’ve discovered the will of God for my life? I want to challenge you, right now, to stand, not only beneath the cross of Christ or in the shadow of the Cross, but you come to the understanding that, though it may be foolishness to the world, we see the Cross as the emblem of God’s love for us, seeing His sacrifice for us, that it also IS the eternal sacrifice we make for others because of the One who sacrificed Himself for us, and therefore:

When the attitudes toward life and the Christian walk are to be determined, conflicts to be conquered, crisis met in victory, when decisions are to be made daily, and the aim of “my life” is being resolved, I will pay the price, I will glory in nothing else whatsoever in all of life, save the cross and glory of Christ in me and through me, and as Christ was crucified for me, so I willfully choose daily to take the sentence of death unto myself that the Resurrection of Christ might be manifested through my mortal flesh!

THIRD, WHEN THE MOMENT OF TRUTH COMES AND THE WILL OF GOD IS DISCOVERED AND THE PRICE TO BE PAID IS UNDERSTOOD, THEN THERE IS THE COMMITMENT TO MAKE! Look at John 12:25-26! “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

Do you remember that just before Jesus spoke the above words after the Jews surrounded Him, they said in Verse 24, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” But I’m convinced, I have a strong suspicion, that their desire to “see Jesus” went deeper and further than John allowed us to see. One must fully surrender to Him! Matthew Henry once said, “Many a man hugs himself to death and loses his life,” but the one who hugs Jesus only gains the gift of eternal life in and through Him alone!

Jesus came not as the entertainer of life but the Energizer of Life. He came not as a show of life but the Savior of life. He came not to be the circumference around one’s life but the center of one’s life. Jesus came not as a failure in life because of the Cross but as the Fulfiller of all failures every one of us have experienced! John 1:4 declares: “In Him is life and the life is the light of men.”

Are YOU in darkness? Is there darkness because of your past, present, even future bent in the darkness of godlessness? Is there darkness about where you’ve been, what you’ve done, where you’re going, and what you day by day choose for yourself only without any consideration of God’s calling for your life? Is there darkness that you’re so aware of because of the vacuum, the emptiness, the meaninglessness of your present ‘existence’? Is there darkness about the paths you choose to walk on? Darkness about the course and character of the life you’ve chosen?

In John 1:10-13 we read, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in (trust in, rely upon, adhere to) His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but (BORN) of God.”

That tells me about Recognition, Reception, Repentance, Rest in His finished work, and the Release of His Indwelling Presence through a re-born life!

FOURTH, WHEN THE MOMENT OF TRUTH COMES, THERE IS AN HONOR TO BE RECEIVED! Verse 26b of John 12 tells me, “If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

Examine John 12:42-43 and weep! “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; FOR THEY LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN MORE THAN THE PRAISE OF GOD.” Has that changed in this modern day?

But there is “another side of the coin”! In Matthew 25:23 Jesus said, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.”

Dave Breese, in his book, “This Is Your Destiny,” (p.97), wrote: “One day the pursuit of God will bring a quick step upward from this time and tempo world into the golden light of Heaven’s fadeless day. One last footfall in the darkness and earth will be no more. The shadow will become the substance and anticipation turned to glad fulfillment. Surely then from within the aura of His dazzling presence you will say: “This is reality.”

“Only one life twill soon be past, Only what’s done for (and In) Christ will last.” My testimony? “I once was an outcast stranger on earth, a sinner by choice and an alien by birth. But I’ve been adopted, my names written down, an heir to a mansion, a robe, and a crown. I’m a child of the King, a child of the King. With Jesus my Savior, I’m a child of the King!”

1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.”

We ALL have our “crisis moments of truth”, and every man faces the ultimate moment of Truth: “What then…?” Do YOU understand? There is a WILL to be followed, there is a PRICE to be [paid, there is a COMMITMENT to make, and, yes, there is an honor to be received!

Robert Harkness, years ago, 1921 in fact, had published his hymn, “Bearing His Cross For Me.” [Published in the old “American Hymnal,” Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee]. It says:

“I see my Savior with thorn-crowned head, Bearing His cross for me; Thorn-pierced His brow, as by soldiers led, Bearing His cross for me.

I see Him pass through the city gate, Bearing His cross for me; On midst the taunts and the people’s hate, Bearing His cross for me.

I see Him burdened with this world’s sin, Bearing His cross for me; Willing to suffer, all hearts to win, Bearing His cross for me.

Bearing His cross for me, Bearing His cross for me, Wonderful Savior, what anguish He bore, Bearing His cross for me.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE SHOCK OF THE DESTINY OF DECEPTION AND DELUSION!”

It is vital, before I get into the main body of this teaching, to lay the ground-work with three definitions of the three major words in the titles of this teaching from Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.

First, DECEPTION! “The acts of deceiving or misleading…all deception is a misapplication of the established signs used to communicate thoughts…the power to mislead, or impress false opinions.”

Second, DELUSION! “The acts of deluding; deception; a misleading of the mind…false representation; illusion; error of mistake proceeding from false views…a beguiling.”

Third, DESTINY! “…ultimate fate…invincible necessity; fate; a necessity or fixed order of things established by a divine decree, or by an indissoluble connection of causes and effects.”

Beyond a shadow of a doubt there is ultimate fate and invincible necessity because of God’s fixed order of things He established by divine decree: “In Christ men are saved – without Christ men are lost!”

And there is an “Indissoluble connection of causes and effects.” Primary is man’s fallen nature “in the image of Adam,” no longer in the image of God apart from “new birth”, “second birth,” “born of the Spirit.”

Primary is the tendency to the supremacy of man’s wisdom and man’s knowledge that possesses no fear of God, fear of God being “the everlasting gospel”! Primary is a man’s invention of “fig-leaf religion”; it’s the “tower of Babel” confusion that still reigns in the hearts of most men because they want to “make a name for ourselves.” Primary is the work and works of the one the Bible calls “Devil” or “satan.” Revelation 12:9 says of him, “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” [Ever wondered what the devil and his demons are up to on the earth, in the governments and schools, in homes, even in churches and the major religions of the world?].

It was the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, who wrote: “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

Henry George Bohn, in his “Handbook of Proverbs”, has written: “The Devil entangles youth with beauty, the miser with gold, the ambitious with power, the learned with false doctrine.” But if, and it is, the Word of God is true, and, “the god of this age has blinded the minds” of the learned with false doctrine, what are the blinded saying? “There’s more than one door into heaven; God is a God of love and would never consign anyone to Hell”, even though Matthew 10:28 says, Jesus Himself declaring: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him [God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” What do the deceived say? “All Jews go to heaven just like Christians; you can refute the Bible and still go to heaven; you can deny the words of Jesus and still go to heaven; Oprah believes there are many ways to God, and so do I; Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, those of the Shinto ‘faith’ and Confusius will find their way to God’s throne; This ‘spiritual stuff’ all revolves around one’s own opinion and his devotion to It – and God will honor that; there’s not really a deceiving Devil, though there are spirits of evil – but God overcomes that with grace and just ignores our ignorance.” HOW PHONY DOES IT GET IN OUR MODERN WORLD?

Cotton Mather, in his “Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World,” has written: “That there is a Devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil. For any to deny the being of a Devil must be from an ignorance or profaneness worse than diabolical.”

I heard over the years of pastoring churches, “I don’t care what the Bible says – that’s not what I believe.” My former teammate and classmate Baylor University and Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, my friend, my former fellow pastor, Dr. Bill Anderson, said to me once, “People have the God-given right to their opinions and beliefs. But they do not have the right to call themselves “Christians” if they refute the words of Jesus and the revelation of God’s Holy Word!”

Adam and Eve exerted their “rights” and their “opinions” with unbelief, and experienced “the Fall,” hiding themselves from the presence of the Lord God. [Are men and women today still hiding from God?].

The children of Israel exerted their “rights” and colored their “opinions” with unbelief, and with Aaron substituted a “golden calf” for the holy presence of God. Israel demanded of Samuel “a king to judge us like all nations,” and God said, “It’s okay, Samuel – they haven’t rejected you, but Me!” And sadly, later, “the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul!” [1 Samuel 16:14].

In John 6:51 Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” In Verse 53 He followed up, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”

In John 6:57 Jesus added, “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” And what happened then – what happens now? John 6:66, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him.”

And the same thing is happening in our very time! Many do not know it, But, THEY ALSO CHOOSE NOT TO WALK WITH CHRIST ALONE! They align themselves with futile, fractured, fuzzy minds as to “Truth”; they walk with the crowd of “multiple religions,” and not the One Way; they’ll talk of tolerance and acceptance with those who brutalized the Christ; they’ll defend unbelievers and mock, slash, criticize the “Jesus Only” disciples; they’ll uphold false religions and denounce as “poor child – he, she just doesn’t know any better – so limited in his, her intellectual, mental skills and capacities – but WE KNOW!”

It was Horatio Bonar who once wrote: “In all unbelief there are these two things: a good opinion of one’s self, and a bad opinion of God.” And those who deny the Word of God, the will of God, and the Way of God, speak out of their mouths revealing their hearts, that they hold a poor opinion of God and elevate their faithlessness to THE PLACE OF PROMINENCE IN THEIR MINDS AND HEIR HEARTS.

In John 8:37 Jesus said: “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.” In fact, when Jesus sought to “win friends and influence people”, because He is so kind-hearted, in John 8:41, He said: “You do the deeds of your father,” to which the Pharisees said, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father – God.” And Jesus responded in Verse 42, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came [out} from God.” In Verse 43 He then nailed why there is so much deception and delusion! “Why do you not understand My speech? BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LISTEN TO MY WORD…Verse 44, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Then, may fear and trembling arise in your minds and hearts when you truly hear Jesus in Verse 47! “He who is of God hears God’s words. Therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

It was Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in “The Cry of the Human,” who wrote: “There is no God,” the foolish saith, But none, “There is no sorrow”:

And nature oft the cry of faith In Bitter need will borrow. Eyes, which the preacher could not school, By wayside graves are raised; And lips say, “God be pitiful,” Who never said, “God be praised.”

Jesus had just said for us that there are “Pharisees” who are of the Devil! I want you to follow carefully Romans 9:1-8! “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing witness in the Holy Spirit, That I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, Who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; Of whom the fathers and from whom, according to flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”

But it is not that the word of God has taken no affect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but “in Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.”

Oh, but then look at Romans 10:1-4! “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear then witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Are you sensing it yet? My righteousness or God’s righteousness – imputed, imparted, implanted by Him through faith in Christ alone! My way or God’s Way? My opinions or God’s revelation? My limited light or His Glorious Light? My ideas or His Truth? My attempts or “accepted in the Beloved?” Trying my best or born again of the Incorruptible Seed? My knowledge, my education, my worldly wisdom or “Thus says the Lord”? Secularism or saving faith? The philosophy of the best of humanism or the precious Prince of Peace who blesses me with God’s best? Measured by my attempts to be religious, whatever religion, or regenerated by the love, grace, and mercy of God at Calvary?

It was Jude, in Jude 3-4, who wrote: “Beloved, while I was diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH which was once delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It’s not Jesus plus – it’s Jesus Only! It’s not many ways – it’s One Way! It’s not religion – it’s relationship by way of the second, spiritual birth! It’s not grit – it’s grace! It’s not merit – it’s mercy! It’s not apostasy – it’s ATONEMENT! It’s not “wild flowers” with a semblance of beauty – it’s fruit trees blessed by the fruit of the Spirit bearing the nature, character, and likeness of Christ! It’s not ‘spots’ or ‘hidden reefs’ in your love feasts at church – it’s ‘saints’ set apart to the Glory of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, Promised Messiah, and Lord Alone! It’s not wolves in sheep’s clothing – it’s won sons and daughters who bear His image and totally committed to the Lord Alone! It’s not wandering stars blown about by every religious wind – it’s divinely birthed, wonder-blessed sons and daughters walking by the leadership of God’s Holy Spirit! It’s not religion on the basis of my own lusts, ideas, and thoughts – it’s relationship, CONVICTED, CONVINCED, CONVERTED, and CONSECRATED TO CHRIST ALONE!

It’s not self-willed, soulish, sensual persons guided by their ‘feeling’ – it’s “kept in the love of God, looking (only) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

It was James again, bother of Jesus, who wrote in James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble.” And certainly there is only one God – but there are multitudinous gods of men’s own invention, because he has not, will not submit to the One True Living God – fallen man wants ‘religion’ on his terms – not God’s!

It was John Dryden who said, “With how much ease believe we what we wish!” Well, relationship with God has never been and will never be on what we ‘wish’ but what He wills! And the will of God is your SALVATION, your SANCTIFICATION, and your SECURITY – and not because YOU are ‘religious’ but because you are “REDEEMED” by the blood of the Lamb!

It is “the Lamb of God” that takes away the sin of the world! It is “the Lamb of God” that reconciles us to Holy God! It is “the Lamb of God” that births and shepherds the sheep of redemptive faith! It is “the Lamb of God” ALONE that washes one white as snow! It is “the Lamb of God”, in fact, the blood of he Lamb of God, that causes God to “pass over” – nothing less, nothing more!

Dear, dear friends, do you not know, do you not understand, have you failed to comprehend the ultimate Truth that Christ “did not come into this world unappointed?” [Spurgeon}. I’m talking about “the Lamb of God” who shed His own blood, precious blood, “foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,” God-appointed, God-directed, God-given, for you, for me, for every man, woman, and child everywhere in the world!

That’s why there’s a mission call on every disciple and every true church. That’s why there are evangelists, missionaries, martyrs, churches with a world vision, touching our world with grace. [And, “God, help those churches and pastors and peoples, who never reach out, never proclaim, never evangelize, but sit around Sunday after Sunday rejoicing in what they’ve never truly experienced, because if they had, yes, the world, locally, nationally, and world-wide becomes their “mission-field”!

To say there’s another way is to slap the Lamb of God in the face, telling Him, “I know better than You!” To say there’s another way is to spit on the graves of the martyrs who died for the faith. To say there’s another way is to super-impose one’s fleshly, limited knowledge over the very heart of God “who proved His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” To say there’s another way is to scandalize the Gospel, the “good News”, the only hope sinful, separated souls have to be reconciled to God! To say there’s another way is to ridicule, insult, degrade, denounce “the ambassadors of Christ” and their loving Lord and Savior!

In speaking of “The New Jerusalem”, in Revelation 21:23, the beloved John said: “The city had no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of the Lord illumined it. THE LAMB IS ITS LIGHT.” From Genesis through Revelation, THE LAMB IS ITS LIGHT!

Chosen of God, through Christ Jesus – THE LAMB IS MY LIGHT! Loved of God, through Christ Jesus – THE LAMB IS OUR LIGHT! Cleansed of God, through His blood – THE LAMB IS THECHURCH’S LIGHT! Robed of God, through Jesus’ imputed righteousness – THE LAMB IS THE SERVANTS’ LIGHT! Kept of God for God, through Christ Jesus – THE LAMB IS MY ETERNAL LIGHT!’ Glorified in God, through Christ Jesus – THE LAMB IS MY GRACIOUS LIGHT!

There are several things I need to point out as I bring this truth to a temporary closing. We started on “The Shock of the Destiny of Deception and Delusion.” It all comes about because of several factors:

Number One, YOU ARE DESTINED TO EMPTINESS AND FUTILITY WHEN YOU GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL AS EVE DID! In James 4:7-10 hear the word of the Lord: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

But there is no lifting up when one refuses to bow, refuses truth about one’s spiritual condition, and refuses to resist Satan, but rather gives place to deception and delusion. And it is deception and delusion to say, “With Jesus there are many ways to God,” when Jesus Himself still says, “I AM the way, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but through Me.”

YOU better wake up to the Devil’s deception and delusion!

Number Two, YOU ARE DESTINED TO DECEPTION AND DELUSION WHEN YOU RESENT, REFUSE, DENY THE WORDS OF JESUS. In John 6:63 Jesus spoke: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK TO YOU ARE SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE LIFE.”

It was Josh MacDowell who said: “Jesus is either liar, lunatic, or Lord God.” How do YOU see Him? [If I were you, I would spend at least a year reading and re-reading the four gospels – that’s Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John!].

It was Jean Jacques Rousseau who wrote: “I must confess to you that the majesty of the Scriptures astonishes me; the holiness of the Evangelists speaks to my heart and has striking characters of truth, and is, moreover, so perfectly inimitable, that if it had been the invention of men, the inventors would be greater than the greatest heroes.”

It was John Wesley, speaking to a friend while sailing to Georgia in 1735 who said: “Sir, if the Bible be not true, I am as very a fool and madman as you can conceive; but if it be of God I am sober-minded.” I AM SOBER-MINDED, and I willfully choose to be a fool for Christ’s sake because of His Word!

It really matters whether you believe it or not – “All Scripture is GOD-BREATHED!” Please read all of Acts 13 soon, but notice especially, after Jesus was preached as God’s remedy for man’s sin, notice what Paul said: Verses 40-52, “Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: ‘Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, a work which will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you.’ So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has COMMANDED us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from the region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

Do you grasp how serious it is to cast doubt on the words of Jesus and the Holy Scriptures? If you do, you stand in mortal danger of losing your soul to the Devil because Jesus has said: (John 12:46-50), “I have come as a light to the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words, and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, I speak.”

Did you notice Rousseau’s “so perfectly inimitable?” That word ‘inimitable’ means “incapable of being imitated; surpassing imitation.” [The Random House Collegiate Dictionary, 1975, p.685].

Number Three, YOU ARE DESTINED TO DECEPTION AND DELUSION WHEN YOU COMPROMISE “TRUTH” AND ADAPT YOUR LIFE CHOICES TO THE FLESHLY AND NOT TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Come to Romans 8:1-6, because Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit of Truth, affirms and aligns his life and beliefs to what Jesus has told us!

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached in London at Spurgeon’s Tabernacle for many, many years. Each Sunday morning there were 10,000 people in each service. Read carefully as I close out this teaching with Spurgeon’s introduction about “Neglecters and Nominal Followers of Religion,” [Spurgeon’s Sermons, Memorial Library, Volume 9, pps. 186-188].

“The sight of this vast arena, and of this crowded assembly, reminds me of other spectacles which, in days happily long past, were seen in the amphitheatres of the old Roman Empire. Around, tier upon tier, were the assembled multitudes, with their cruel eyes and iron hearts; and in the centre stood a solitary, friendless man, waiting till the doors of the lion’s den should be uplifted, that he might yield himself up for a witness for Christ and a sacrifice to the popular fury. There would have been no difficulty then to have divided the precious from the vile in that audience. The most thoughtless wayfarer who should enter into the amphitheatre, would know at once who was he disciple of Christ and who were the enemies of the Crucified One. There stood the bravely-calm disciple, about to die, but all around, in those mighty tiers of the Colosseum, or of the amphitheatre of some provincial town, as the case might be, there sat matrons and nobles, princes and peasants, plebians and patricians, senators and soldiers, all gazing downward with the same fierce, unpitying look; all boisterous for their heathen gods, and all vociferous in the joy with which they gazed upon the agonies of the disciple of the hated Galilean, butchered to make a Roman holiday. Another sight is before us today, with far more happy associations; but alas ! It is a far more difficult task this da to separate the chaff from the wheat, the precious from the vile, than in the day when the apostle fought with beasts at Ephesus. Here, in this arena, I hope there are hundreds, if not thousands, who would be prepared to die for our Lord Jesus; and in yonder crowded seats, we may count by hundreds those who bear the name and accept the gospel of the Man of Nazareth; and yet, I fear me, that both in these lifting hills on either side, and upon this vast floor, there are many enemies of the Son of God, who are forgetful of His righteous claims – who have cast from them those cords of love which should bind them to His throne, and have never submitted to the mighty love which showed itself in His cross and in His wounds. I cannot attempt the separation. You must grow together until the harvest. To divide you were a task which at this hour angels could not perform, but which one day they will easily accomplish, when at their Master’s bidding, the harvest being come, they shall gather together first the tares in bundles to burn them, and afterwards the wheat into Jehovah’s barn. I shall not attempt the division, but I shall ask each man to attempt it for himself in his own case. I say to you, young men and maidens, old men and fathers, this day examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Let no man take it for granted that he is a Christian because he has helped to swell the numbers of a Christian assembly. Let no man judge his fellow, but let each man judge himself. To each one of you I say, with deepest earnestness, let a division be made by your conscience, and let your understanding separate between him that feareth God and him that feareth Him not. Though no man clothed in linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side, shall go through the midst of you to set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations of this city, let conscience take the inkhorn and honestly make the mark, or leave the favored sign unmade, and let each man question himself this morning, “Am I on the Lord’s side? Am I for Christ, or for His enemies? Do I gather with Him, or do I scatter abroad?” “Divide, divide!” they say in the House of Commons; let us say the same in this great congregation this day. Political divisions are but trifles compared with the all-important distinction which I would have you consider. Divide as you will be divided to the right and to the left in the great day when Christ shall judge the world in righteousness. Divide as you will be divided when the bliss of heaven, or the woes of hell, shall be your everlasting portion.”

I close this chapter with the words of Jesus Himself, when in Matthew 10:34-39, He said: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father and mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

The destiny of deception and delusion OR the destiny of the divine-ones born again by the Holy Spirit through Ultimate, Eternal Truth whose name is “Jesus Only”? In John 15:9-13 Jesus said: “As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. IF you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your hoy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? ENDURING THROUGH OUR FAILURES, FIRES, AND FIGHTS!”

In Matthew 24 the disciples had asked Jesus about “the sign of His coming and the end of the age.” [The age of Judaism and Jerusalem!]. Jesus responded in this way: “The end of the age?” Verse 4, a time of great deception; Verse 7, a time of great conflict; Verses 8-9, a time of great suffering; Verse 12, a time of great open sin; and Verse 14, a time of great opportunity. And in the midst of this description of the end of the age (Israel’s demise!), NOTICE, Jesus said in Verse 13, “BUT HE WHO ENDURES TO THE END SHALL BE SAVED!” That’s “Enduring through our failures, our fires, and our fights!”

How many have started a walk with Jesus and end up disappointed, disillusioned, discouraged, detoured, and are “falling away” because they didn’t know or understand about “failing” in a ‘flesh walk of faith’ or about “getting up”, stumbling short of the goal they set for themselves, but not grasping or understanding, persevering, pressing in, resting in “Spirit-control”, not ‘trying my best’! Where does that come from? Not the Word, not the Spirit, and not from the true ‘disciple-makers, trainers, and equippers! At the same time, far too many don’t know or understand about “counting the cost,” or failing to see the cross in the walk before the Manifestation of Resurrection Power! Have you seen them? High pinnacles – fast falls; slippery slopes – muddy ditches with seemingly high walls they can’t crawl out of; stained banners of allegiance – rotting devotion and passion which is the end result of flesh efforts rather than Spirit-dependency!

Even though we are IMMORTAL IN CHRIST, as human followers , some have tendencies to fallibility, to failure, and to futility – and sadly, some accept that and settle in to being their petty little selves! Then some settle for RELIGIOUS SPASMS every now and then, but fail to press in to the High Calling!

Chuck Swindoll, in his book, “Come Before Winter,” has a chapter entitled “The Fine Art of Blowing it.” Do you know about which he speaks? Have you ever found yourself enveloped with a heavy fog of failure? John Maxwell’s book, “Failing Forward,” is so rich in REALITY. One of the dynamic truths Maxwell writes is, (Preface), “Your attitude, more than your aptitude, will determine your altitude!” With all my heart I believe God would have us all know and understand that failure in our walks as pastors or disciples IS NOT A STUMBLING BLOCK BUT A STEPPING STONE!

It was James Long who said: “One reason God created time was so that THERE WOULD BE A PLACE TO BURY THE FAILURES OF THE PAST!” “He who ENDURES to the end shall be saved!”

One of the saddest verses in all the Bible is Psalm 78:9, “The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, TURNED BACK IN THE DAY OF BATTLE.” Some of you as you read this today feel so hopeless, fearful, and doubt-filled. Some of you are determined to walk away from your calling, your ministry because you’ve conceived within yourself a sense of failure – and you’re brought to a crossroads: Escape or cope? Weakened or strengthened? Clueless or constructively enlightened? Human effort failing and falling or divine enabling strengthening you? Pushed down or pressing in? Wilting or working out your salvation in fear and trembling? Taken over by a defeatist attitude or triumphant through God’s promises and helps? A mind duped by its failures or a mind deepened in God’s truths recognizing by grace I have “the mind of Christ”? Debilitated by your mistakes or disciplined by God’s mercy? Adapting to your natural tendencies to failure or appropriating His supernatural provisions for Holy Success?

There IS such a Life-Principle of “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!!” (Philippians 1:6).

Ken Hubbard wisely wrote: “There is no failure except no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose.” But that’s FLESH!! In Christ we’ve become spiritual beings inhabited with His Resurrection Life and Purpose! Paul had to remind Timothy, and I remind you, (2 Timothy 1:9), that God “has saved US and CALLED US with a HOLY PURPOSE, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, BEFORE TIME BEGAN.”

It was Pericles who wrote: “The brave are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet GO OUT TO MEET IT.” I love the old hymn that somehow needs to be resurrected: “Rise up, O men of God, have done with lesser things…”

Victor Frankel said it: “Everything can be taken from a man except the last of human freedoms – TO CHOOSE ONE’S ATTITUDES IN ANY GIVEN SET OF CIRCUMCTAMCES.” “He who perseveres or ENDURES to the end shall be saved!”

It was Louis Pasteur who once wrote: “Chance favors the PREPARED MIND!” But I believe it’s not only a prepared mind but a prepared heart that is so sensitive to the heart of God Himself!

Let’s look at PERSEVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE OF THE PRECIOUS PRECEPT OF THE UNFAILING, UNCHANGING, UNCEASING LOVE OF GOD! Three statements out of 1 Corinthians 13 that ought to grip your heart right now as you consider God’s love for YOU!

Verse 4, “Love suffers long and is king…” Verse 7, “Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things…” Verse 8, “Love NEVER FAILS!” When you think about the walk of Simon Peter, have you considered that Peter denied Jesus three times after his strong assertion that he never would? AND HERE COMES JESUS…!! What does He bring to Peter? A big stick? A harsh look? A mean stare? A sign saying, “Displeased, disappointed, doubtful of Peter?” No, Jesus came, not only with the look of love, but an affirmation of confidence, an acceptance of his person, and an aim for his life: “Feed My sheep!” You do know what Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

How could we interpret God’s love as conditional, as changing, as ceasing, with eternally THE CROSS OF CHRIST EVER BEFORE US? What does God say? “I love you only when you always get it right? I love you only when you never deny Me? I love you when and only you’re totally perfect? I love you only when you rank high as the best of human achievers and preachers? I love you only when you score all ‘A’s’ on the life exams? I love you only if you don’t look back? I love you only when you don’t stumble? I love you only when you don’t wear a mask or pretend? I love you only when you’re so pious, so spiritual looking, even wearing the right color of clothes?

Listen to John 15:9 and claim it: “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you, Abide In My Love!” When you’ve fallen, Jesus’ love is there to pick you up! When you’ve failed, Jesus’ love is saying, “You’re My success!” When you’re afraid of what tomorrow holds, “My perfect love casts out and overcomes your fear because I HOLD YOUR TOMORROW!”

Notice also, PERSEVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL AWARENESS THAT PERSECUTION IS “THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE” FOR EVERY DISCIPLE! Are you ready? 2 Timothy 3:10-12 says, “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, PERSEVERANCE…persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra – what persecutions I ENDURED. And out of them all the Lord delivered me…Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.” Has that changed because we’re supposed to be such an advanced culture?

To the church at Thessalonica, Paul made an even bolder statement: 1 Thessalonians 3:2-3, telling why he sent Timothy to them – “and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning the faith…that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that WE ARE APPOINTED FOR THIS.” HOW SHOCKING! God’s Word is telling us, “We have and appointment with persecutions and affliction!”

Max Cleland is a former U.S senator from Georgia who had his legs and an arm blown off by a grenade in the Vietnam war and he boldly talks about “turning your scars into stars.” And yet, do you realize how many, at the first sign of trouble through persecution, easily walk away rather than pressing in to Christ? Or rather than walk away, they just get “down-in-the-mouth”, sad, embittered about what their ‘faith’ has brought them to.

Charles Allen, the former great Methodist minister wrote: “Valleys are for moving through, not wallowing in.” So true!! I’m always amazed when I re-read Paul talking to his Corinthian friends about his “light afflictions.” That’s 2 Corinthians 4:17. Then in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, he tells them: “…in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often…From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one…Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep…in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren…in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirstings, in fastings often, in cold nakedness…”

It was Aldous Huxley who wrote: “Experience is not what happens to you. Experience is what you do with what happens to you.” What did Jesus say in John 15:20? “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” And do you remember the rise of persecution against the early church in Acts 8:1? “…At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad…” WHAT HAPPENED FOLLOWING THIS? “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also!” “Great persecution?” So we ought to be sad, Right? “Great persecution?” So we ought to run and hide, Right? “Great persecution?” So let’s deny our calling and go back to fishing, Right? Listen to Jesus!!

Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake…Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” In Luke 6, Jesus said, “…Leap for joy!!”

NEXT CONSIDER, PERSEVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE OF OUR AWARENESS OF THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS!! Philippians 3:13-14 says, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead…I press toward the mark for the PRIZE of the UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.” And I don’t even know wha all of that means!

But…I read in 1 Corinthians 2:9, But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” In Hebrews 12:2 I get an inkling of it, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith WHO FOR THE JOY that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand throne of God.” Did you hear it, sense it, become aware of it? 1) Finisher of our faith 2) Joy set before Him 3) Seated at the right hand throne of God!!

Listen to 2 Peter 3:11-13, "Th“refore, since all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?…NEVERTHELESS WE, according to His promise, LOOK FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS.” Paul said twice to the Romans, there’s “MUCH MORE” coming!!

LOOK AT PERSEVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL PERSUASION OF OUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD!! Listen to 2 Timothy 1:12, “…for I know WHOM I have believed and am persuaded that HE IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY.” Confidence IN the GOD WHO IS ABLE!! Where is your confidence? Jude 24-25 says clearly: “Now TO HIM WHO IS ABLE to keep you from stumbling, AND to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy…TO GOD OUR SAVIOR, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and FOREVER. AMEN.”

The great old hymn will never die!! “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

John Jasper may not be a name you recognize, but his story and faith was so powerful. Years and years ago he was pastor of the great black church in Richmond, Virginia, called Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He was a tremendous preacher. Political figures from Washington,DC, whites included, would make their way to Richmond to hear him preach. There came a time they need to put a state highway right through Richmond which meant they’d have to demolish Jasper’s church. But local and national figures caused an uproar and they had to curve the road round Jasper’s church. He came late in life one Sunday morning to the pulpit and stretched his thinning skin on his hand and said: “Very soon I’m going home to be with God,” and his people in their characteristic way began to speak out, “No, Brother John, No. You can’t go home o b with God. You must stay here and be our pastor.” And Jasper responded, “Now hush, my children, Hush. I tell you what is going to happen. One morning soon the death angel will come and call my name, John Jasper, it’s time to go. Follow me. And I will follow, and he’ll lead me up to the Pearly White gates where I’ll meet that catachezing angel, and he’ll say, “Who are you?” And I’ll say, I’m John Jasper. And he’ll say, “John Jasper, you ain’t no good. You don’t have any right coming in here.” And I’ll say, You’re right, Mr. Angel, I’m no good, and I don’t have any right coming in here, but I’m not depending upon my righteousness, I’m depending upon the righteousness of Jesus who loved me and gave Himself for me. Then he’ll say, “Come on in, John Jasper, that’s the way we like to hear men talk.” Powerful persuasion of our CONFIDENCE IN GOD ALONE!

I’m certain you never knew, but I faced some heavy battles in my journey over a period of time after twenty-five years of traveling all over the world teaching and preaching, mostly in India, but areas all over Asia, with pastors’ conferences, open-air crusades, and church trainings. Some said, “He’s too old. He’s no longer important. The ministry will go on without him.” My dear friend, former classmate and teammate at Baylor University in Waco, where we played football together for the Baylor Bears, Dr. Bill Anderson, shared with me and with Sue, Psalm 138:7-8, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me… THE LORD WILL PERFECT that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” And God will not forsake us!

OH, AND PLEASE NOTICE, PERSEVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE WE MAKE OUR CALLING AND ELECTION CERTAIN! 2 Peter 1”10-11 declares, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for is you do these things YOU WILL NEVER STUMBLE…for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Do you remember God taking those tablets of stone and writing on them and giving them to Moses, “The Ten Commandments”? And one of them says, Exodus 20:7, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE!

Have you been born again? Does Christ live within you? Are you the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? Are you alive in Christ? Have you been raised up and seated with Him in heavenly places? Do you have a new song in your heart and a new name to which you respond? Do you know with great assurance, “I am the Chosen of God”? Do you know, “Saved and called with a holy calling?”

LASTLY, PERSERVERANCE TO THE END BECAUSE WE ARE PERSISTENT!! Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.” Did you hear it? We don’t accept our failures – we’ll not be half-hearted but whole-hearted, even if we stumble. We may fall on our face, but (with our Lord’s help!), watch us as we get up! Warren Weirsbe nailed it: “A realist is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been purified. A skeptic is an idealist who has gone through the fire and been burned.”

Calvin Coolidge, one of the U.S.’s former presidents wrote: “Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of PERSISTENCE. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are OMNIPOTENT.”

Remember Luke 9:51? “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, THAT HE STEDFASTLY SET HIS FACE to go to Jerusalem.” Have you steadfastly, resolutely, determinedly set your face to persevere and endure to the end? In 1 Corinthians 2:2 Paul said, “For I have determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” WHAT HAVE YOU DETERMINED? Have you resolutely set yourself to live by way of the Cross so the Resurrection Life of Christ will be manifested through you? IS IT SETTLED? Steadfastly I AM PERSEVERING AND ENDURING AND PRESSING IN TO HIM!

Epictetus wrote it: “Tentative efforts lead to tentative outcomes. Therefore, give yourself fully to your endeavors. Decide to construct your character through excellent actions and determine to pay the price of a worthy goal. The trials you encounter will introduce you to your strengths. REMAIN STEADFAST…and one day you will build something that endures: something WORTHY OF YOUR POTENTIAL.”

It was G.K.Chesterton who said: “I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them UNLESS they act.” Well, I am going to ACT! I am going to settle it! IT’S RESOLVED! And I challenge you, Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore brethren by the multitudinous mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but BE BEING TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” It’s by an unknown author but speaks so loudly: “When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill…When the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh (maybe cry),…When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must, but don’t you quit…Success is failure turned inside out, The silver tint of the clouds of doubt…And you can never tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar…So, stick to the fight when you’re hurt and hit – It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit.” AND I WILL NOT QUIT! One of my dear spiritual sons called me and said, “Really, shouldn’t you slow down?” And I said, “You’ll know I’ve slowed down when they’ve closed the casket top!!”

Is there a ‘why’ in that? Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God’s purpose for you or me, ended, over, finished? No!

Through it all, I’M BUILDING MY ALTAR AND PRESENTING MYSELF TO GOD ANEW EACH DAY! I believe it was about 75 years of age when it really began to happen for Abraham at a record pace!! I’m now 80 years of age – and just beginning anew in the things God has planned for me and through me! Sir Charles Villiers Stanford wrote: “Human excellence apart from God, is like the fabled flower, which, according to the Rabbis, Eve plucked when passing out of paradise. Severed from its native root, it is only the touching memorial of a lost Eden – sad while charming and beautiful, BUT DEAD.”

“He who perseveres to the end shall be saved!!” Our lives, not memorials of a lost Eden, but testimonies of the Redeemed, are testimonies of those who persevere and endure. God, HELP US!!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION!”

In Philippians 1:6 Paul stated, “being confident of THIS VERY THING, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

To be in the flow of the ‘river of faith’, there has to be commitment …commitment to Christ Jesus and His finished work AT THE CROSS! In that flow of the ‘river of faith’, I know and understand that I am being carried along like a raft on the Snake River! The current carries me, I don’t have to carry myself! True faith is complete abandonment of any hope in myself to “redeem me”, or save me, or complete me by my best efforts!

In that flow of the “river of redemptive faith”, I believed, trusted in, relied upon the eternal truth that Christ Jesus was able to do what He said He could and would do: Hebrews 7:25, “…able to save (forever – completely) those who draw near to God through Christ…” Jude 24, “…able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…” 2 Timothy 1:12, “…able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day…” 2 Corinthians 9:8 “…able to make all grace abound to you…” Roman 16:25, “…able to establish you (or “make you to stand!”)” Romans 4:21, “…able to perform…(what He had promised!).”

But do you realize that some riding that river raft of faith are fearful, even tormented, because they have not fully rested themselves in confidence and assurance on the bosom of Jesus in full and complete trust? Can you hear it?

“We’re not going to make it. The torrents of crashing waters (temptations?) against the rocks are intensifying. There’s a big ‘falls’ in the river down there. Look at all the boulders of opposition against us. Or, it’s too shallow, the raft won’t flow on dry ground. I’ve fallen out, no life jacket, I’m sinking.”

I’m going to tell you plainly, THAT’S A TERRIBLE WAY TO TRAVEL THE ‘RIVER OF FAITH’, your journey with Jesus, your pilgrimage with the Prince of Peace.

Reading one of those great English preachers of 150 years ago, (Spurgeon) on a message of ‘faith’, he had an interesting comment (Spurgeon’s Sermons, Vol.7,p.80), “Get then, Christian brethren and friends, get assurance; be not content with hope, get confidence; rest not in faith, labor after the full assurance of faith; and never be content, my hearer, till you can know your election, you are sure of your redemption, and you are certain of your preservation until that day.”

Now, what did Paul say to the Church at Philippi? “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect (or complete) it until the day of Christ Jesus.” “Complete?” the Greek word is “epiteleo”, a combination word: epi – on, or upon, & teleo – to bring to an end, complete, fulfill, finish! Notice, it is God on or upon us bringing to an end, fulfilling, finishing, completing what He started in us!!!

The word, CONFIDENCE, is from a primary verb, “to persuade, assure, put trust in…” Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines it as “a trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability, or veracity of another…”

Psalm 118:8 (KJV) says: “It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man.” Proverbs 3:26 says, “For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.”

A two-fold explanation! “The Lord” – your confidence in the Lord! Plus the confidence of completion! In Ezekial 28:25-26 we read: Thus says the Lord God: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. Then they shall now that I am the Lord their God.”

“THE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION!” FIRST, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTER OF OUR GOD AND SAVIOR AND LORD! 2 Timothy 1:12 says, “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED (trusted in, relied upon), and am PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM UNTIL THAT DAY.”

Paul didn’t say, “I know WHAT I have believed…” He said: “I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED!” Confidence comes from that precious intimacy with God Himself! Confidence comes from one’s personal knowledge of Holy God and His faithful Word! Confidence comes, not simply from mere acquaintance of Him, but an abiding love for Him.

I can say, “The Lord, He is God,” but until I can say, “The Lord is MY GOD”, there is no confidence! I can say, “The Lord is a Shepherd,” but it means nothing in the ‘ministered-to-life’ until I say, “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”! I can say, “The Lord is Savior of all the world,” but it builds no confidence and assurance until in my heart I know Him as “MY” Savior and Lord of MY life!

Paul KNEW God! He knew His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence! 1 Timothy 1:17, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God alone who is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” In 1 Timothy 6:15-16 he said, “…He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords…who alone has immortality, dwelling in unappraoachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”

Confidence comes as we know Christ Jesus the Lord! Do you remember Jesus asking His disciples, “Who do men say that I the Son of Man am?” And then to His disciples and us, “But WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” What did Peter respond with? “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!!” Co-eternal, co-equal with Father-God! He was assured with John, “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God!”

Redeemer! Savior! Lord and Master! Ephesians 1:7 declares, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” WE SERVE THE RISEN LORD! WE YIELD TO OUR PRESENT INTERCESSOR! WE BOW DAILY BEFORE THE UNCHANGING LORD WHI IS the same yesterday, today, and forever!” He‘s the Lord of Love! Romans 8:35-39 says: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we’ re accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ YET IN ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul assured the Thessalonians when in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 he wrote: “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” Don’t you find it so amazing, encouraging, and uplifting to read Paul in 2 Timothy 4:14-18? “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. BUT THE LORD stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. AND THE LORD WILL DELIVER ME from every evil work and PRESERVE ME for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”

SECOND, “THE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION?” WE CAN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF THE CONSISTENCY OF HOLY SCRIPTURES! Never forget what Paul said to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:16-17! “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Receive 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 where Paul declared, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us – by me, Silvanus and Timothy – was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes… For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

Even Davis had great confidence in God for his completion, (Psalm 17:15), “As for me, I WILL SEE your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Catch the spirit of it! More than HOPE, it’s Confidence and Assurance! How?

Because the Lord was his Shepherd!! So, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Peter spoke of (1 Peter 1:23), “the living and abiding word of God.” AND IT IS! But the living and abiding of the Word of God must be LIVING AND ABIDING FOR US!! WE STAND ON IT!!

THIRD, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF HE CONSISTENT AND CONSTRAINING WOTK OF GOD WITHIN US: Again, Philippians 1:6, “…HE WHO HAS BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU…” Look at Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who is at work in you both to WILL AND TO WORK (IN YOU!) FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE.”

Go back and ret in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22!! “Now HE WHO ESTABLISHES US WITH YOU IN CHRIST (established? “makes to stand”) and has anointed us (empowered) is God…who also has SEALED US (stamped as His) and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, (a guarantee!).” Listen carefully:

God doesn’t “establish” us that we might fall or fail! God doesn’t anoint us to be leaking wells that run dry! God doesn’t seal us that we might say we are on our own! God doesn’t give us the Spirit to claim us as a devotee of the unholy spirit! No!

2 Corinthians 2:14 says, “Now thanks be to God who ALWAYS leads us in triumph in Christ.” We are clay in the hands of the Potter, and the steps of a righteous man are ordered by Him!!

FOURTH, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN COMPLETION BECAUSE OF THE COMFORTING TRUTH THAT WE CAN BE LIKE CHRIST WITH HIS CONSTANT AND CONSTRAINING INFLUENCE WHO MAKES IT A REALITY FOR US!! 2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: (Like a two-sided coin!), “The Lord knows those are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Paul said to the church at Galatia (1:15-16), “But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace…TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME…!!” In Galatians 4:19 he added: “My little children for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.” Thank God for prayerful, caring friends of the faith, yes, pastors, who intercede in our behalf before Holy God, urging the completion, the constant and constraining influence, in making it a reality in and through us!

Have you been laid hold of by Christ Jesus? Follow Paul in Philippians 3:12-4:1! “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.

Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this in mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame – who set their mind on earthly things.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able to subdue all things to Himself. Chapter 4:1, Therefore, mu beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, SO STANF FAST IN THE LORD, beloved.”

FIFTH, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF CHRIST-LIKENESS IN OUR OWN PRAYERS. In Philippians 1:9-10, receive Paul’s prayer for YOU: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Jesus, to the glory and praise of God.”

How clear did the Apostle lay it out for us in Ephesians 1:15-20? “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…”

Aren’t you thankful for men of prayer like Paul who became inspiration for all true seekers to be ‘prayer intercession like him? He made it even clearer when in Ephesians 3:14-21 he said to the Ephesians and us: “FOR THIS REASON I BOW MY KNEES TO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled up with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, TO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST JESUS TO ALL GENERATIONS, forever and ever. Amen.”

SIXTH, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF THE CROWNING TESTIMONY OF ONE’S DESIRE AND PASSION TO GLORIFY CHRIST! Philippians 1:19-21 says, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

King David made a strong, exuberant declaration of trust and full surrender when in Psalm 27:4-8 he wrote: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock (the Solid Rock?). And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Are you experiencing that reality in your walk with Him?

In Verses 13-14 of Psalm 27, David also said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.”

And old hymn that has been one of my faith-walk’s most important hymn is entitled, “Be Thou My Vision.” Some say it’s as old as the seventh or eighth century. It says: “Be Thou, my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Nought be all else to me, save that You art – You my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, Your presence my light.”

LASTLY, WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE OF COMPLETION BECAUSE OF THE CONQUERING VICTORY OF CHRIST’S CROSS AND HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION !

When from the Cross He said: “It is finished,” be assured, it IS finished! “Jesus Paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow!

I love Oswald Chambers’ statement when he said: “The initiative of the saint is not towards self-realization, but towards knowing Jesus Christ.” And didn’t Paul state, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings”?

True discipleship is confidence in what Christ has already accomplished for you, not what you “try” to do for Him in the best of human effort! Do you think this is why Paul talked about “taking the sentence of death unto himself daily that the resurrection life of Christ might be manifested through Him?”

Do you understand that redemptive truth “in Christ” is not His invitation for you to “try your best”, but to rest in the blood of His Cross at Calvary to transform you, not just enlighten you to a few biblical truths? Trying is not trusting! The Lord Jesus crucified, not only your sin with Him as He yielded to the will of God at the Cross, but your worst and your best, so that upon His Resurrection you’d receive not only forgiveness of your sins but His Holy Presence!

In Hebrews 2:9-10 we read: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“AWAKENINGS’ NECESSITY? THE KINGLY REIGN OF CHRIST!”

In 1 John 4:17-19 we have an amazing, life-changing, uplifting revelation: “Love (agape love) has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

Do YOU have a “new song” that you sing, like the twenty-four elders who fell down before the Lamb of God in Revelation 5:9-14? And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God BY YOUR BLOOD out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, AND HAVE MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS TO OUR GOD; AND WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH.” Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever.’”

I find it so interesting, at times disheartening and discouraging, because too many ‘believers’ in Christ Jesus have no true foundational knowledge of their ‘identity’ “In Christ”! If “in Christ” ‘we are more than conquerors’, then why are some believers stymied in their journey of redemptive faith? In Romans 8:37-39 Paul wrote: “Yet in all these things (tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, or peril) WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US. For I am persuaded that neither death not life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul clearly understood for his people in his day, and, yes, for the people of our day today who’ve put their faith in Christ Jesus. He said, Romans 8:25, “For He (Christ Jesus) MUST REIGN till He has put all enemies under His feet,” that was then, and it is now in your life and walk of faith: WE MUST BE DAILY YIELDED TO HIS LORDSHIP in all of OUR circumstances! “HE MUST REIGN”!!

Psalm 110:1-3a, David said, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’ The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power…”

It’s really interesting as you’re going through the Word to come across a passage like Judges 8:22-23! Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord (Himself) shall rule over you.”

And Micah 4:1-7 really gets interesting when you know 70AD was coming for the end of Israel, which is also true of any ‘fleshly reign or rule’! And you and I have a choice of Who reigns over us, in us, and through us! It says: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days ( Last days of Worldly existence or last days of Israel?) that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it.

Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

“In that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.”

And who is that? Those who walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever! Does John 1:1-4 describe both the “true light” AND those who do not comprehend it? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. ALL THINGS were made THROUGH HIM, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The next few verses tell us John was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe. Verses 8-9 clearly says that John “was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.”

And then in John 1:10-14 John tells us, “He (Christ Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. BUT as many as received Him, TO THEM He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in [trust in, rely upon, adhere to], in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but [BORN!] of God.”

In 1 Timothy 4:8-10 we read: “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, BECAUSE WE TRUST IN THE LIVING GOD, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe [trust in, rely upon, adhere to!].”

I would think the legitimate question at this point would be: WHO or what rules over you? In Colossians 2:8-10 Paul warns us all! “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For IN HIM dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” Several truths we must rest in:

FIRST, THERE IS THE REIGN OVER TEMPTATION WHEN I KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REALITY OF TEMPTATION! In Luke 4:1 we read, “The Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.” Christ Jesus – filled with the Holy Spirit! Christ Jesus – led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Christ Jesus – tempted by the devil for forty days! Several lessons we must learn and rest in:

• The reality of temptation is no evidence of sin! In Hebrews 4:15-16 we read, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. LET US THEREFORE come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Later, in Hebrews 10:19-23, the author wrote: “Therefore, brethren, (brothers and sisters in the Faith!), having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God ( 2 Corinthians 6:16b declares, “For YOU are the temple of the living God!”), let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

• The reality of temptation is no sign of God’s Lack of Love for us because He allows temptation! Did we read in Luke 4:1 that Jesus “was led by the Spirit (the Holy Spirit!) into the wilderness, BEING TEMPTED FORTY DAYS BY THE DEVIL.” Jesus WAS tempted, loved of the Father! In fact, at Jesus’ baptism, in Matthew 3:17, we read: “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And the very next event in the life of Christ? Matthew 4:1 again says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
• The reality of temptation is no implication of doubt about one being “a child of the King”! Again, the Son of God was tempted – the Eternal Son of God was tested – the “First-Fruit” tasted the fire of temptation to evil! It tells us that the Primacy of Sonship in Scripture FACED THE PERILOUS HOUR OF TESTING TRIUMPHANTLY – and so can you! Spurgeon, in “Spurgeon’s Sermons”, (Vol.18, p.339), wrote: “Temptation is a mark of sonship rather than any reflection thereupon.” So true!
• The reality of temptation is not an opened door for participation in the evil invitation or an opened door to penalty because of it! Temptation Never has to lead to sinful involvement! It’s said of Christ Jesus, “The same yesterday, today, and forever,” therefore one pure in Christ before temptation can be, must be pure in Him after temptation! How? 1 John 5:18b says, “…He that is born of God KEEPS HIMSELF and the evil one (the devil) does not touch him.” “Keeps”? That’s “to guard, to watch over, to be alert to, to keep one’s self, by prayer? Matthew 6:13, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil – For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. SO BE IT or Amen!”
• The reality of temptation is not a door of opportunity for murmuring and complaining, but the message that we’re not above or below our Master, Lord, and Savior! Luke 6:40 is Jesus telling us, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” And Jesus? Even if it’s Peter, not fully trained as yet, that Jesus confronted in Mark 8:33, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not (yet) mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
• The reality of temptation is not the way of suffering before the release of His reign! Hebrews 2:18 equips us by saying, “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Yes, He stands at YOUR door, ready to be available to you in any moment of the devil’s onslaught! The writer of Hebrews said also in Hebrews 12:3, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners (and Satan!) against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” His invitation in your trial of faith by the devil? “Lean on Me,” Jesus says, over and over and over again and again! And is that “your performance” or His position, “your grit” or His grace and mercy, “your determination” or faithful dependence upon the King of kings and Lord of lords? Romans 5:17 says, “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

SECOND, THERE IS THE REIGN OVER TEMPTATION WHEN I KNOW THE TENDERNESS OF MY SYMPATHEITIC SAVIOR! In Hebrews 2:17-18 we read, “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, HE IS ABLE TO AID THOSE WHO ARE TEMPTED.”

• I become aware of the Avenue of His suffering in temptation: The Avenue of EMOTION is involved! Did we just read, “in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted…?” In Spurgeon’s Sermons, (Vol.18, p.329), Spurgeon preached, “Many persons are tempted, but do not suffer in being tempted. When ungodly men are tempted, the bait is to their taste, and they swallow it greedily. Temptation is a pleasure to them; indeed they sometimes tempt the devil to tempt them. They are drawn aside of their own lusts and enticed; so that temptation, instead of being suffering to them becomes a horrible source of pleasure. But good men (godly men) suffer when they are tempted, and the better they are the more they suffer.” And if that’s true of good and godly men, then how must have it have been emotionally for the PURE AND PERFECT, SINLESS SON OF GOD? Spurgeon went on, “Our Lord and Master had such a delicate sensitiveness of soul with regard to holiness, that the sight of sin must have torn Him as a naked man would be torn by thorns, and thistles, and briers.”

The Avenue of PLACE is involved: Christ Jesus left His Eternal Home and came to the sin-infested earth! He was “rich, yet for our sakes He became poor.” He left the place where He could never be tempted to come to the place where temptation is a way of life – and He suffered! (Matthew 26:36-46).

The Avenue of Weariness is involved: We read in John 4:5-6, So Jesus came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour (or noon). Oh, and then we read in Hebrews 5:7-9, “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Are YOU learning obedience by what YOU SUFFER when temptation comes your way?

The Avenue of Aloneness is involved: Do you remember Jesus crying out as He faced the Cross? “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ God hadn’t forsaken Him, but He had withdrawn temporarily, and for Jesus, it was if God had forsaken Him and it felt as if He’d been deserted! That’s like Job! “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him! That I might come even to His throne!” In Psalm 42:1-5 we read about those passionate FOR GOD in the midst of their distresses thinking they are alone!

THE AVENUE OF EMPATHY IS INVOLVED! In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 we find the “Hallelujah Chorus” of comforted sufferers! It says: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” How true is that to the true disciple’s walk of faith even today?

• I become aware of The Aid of our Sympathetic Savior. Hebrews 2:18 is so clear! “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to AID THOSE WHO ARE TEMPTED.” I’m sure this is why we read 1 Thessalonians 3:5 when Paul said, “For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that THE TEMPTER MIGHT HAVE TEMPTED YOU, and our labor should be in vain.” It’s also interesting that we read in Luke 4:13, “And when the devil had finished every temptation (against Jesus), he departed from Him until a more opportune time.”

We are, yes, fully aware of the aid of our sympathetic Savior because HE OVERCAME TEMPTATION! Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.” In Galatians 2:20-21 Paul wrote: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God…”! We are fully aware of our sympathetic Savior because He made toothless the tempter! In Colossians 2:13-15 we read: “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

Oh, but Martin Luther nailed it strong for us when he wrote the great old hymn, “A Mighty Fortress”! It says: “A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Out helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing; For still our ancient foe Seeks to work us woe; His craft and power are great, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing, Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing. Do you ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth is His name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle.

And tho’ this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God has willed His Truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim – We tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, For lo! His doom is sure: One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers – No thanks to them – abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through Him who with us sideth. Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also; The body they may kill; God’s Truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.” AMEN?

THIRD, THERE IS THE REIGN OVER TEMPTATION WHEN I KNOW THE TESTIMONY OF COMMON BELIEVERS WHO’VE OVERCOME WHAT I FACE! 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us: ‘No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man (to fellow believers, to true disciples!).”

In Philippians 2:10-16 we have, yes, true, powerful testimonies! “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”

Did Paul say, “I press toward the prize or mark of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”? If so, then why would the true disciple turn downward rather than pressing in to the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ? The “present reign” of Christ is interpreted through faithful believers who reign in and through Him actively, purposefully, benevolently, judicially, and victoriously!

Hebrews 12:1-2 we joyfully read, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the author and FINISHER of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

FOURTH, THERE IS THE REIGN OVER TEMPTATION WHEN I KNOW THE TRIUMPHANT NATURE OF MY FAITHFUL GOD! 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, but with the temptation will also MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, that you may be able to bear it.” What an awesome, encouraging word!

There’s a promise in Psalm 89:36-37 that says, “His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky.”

Isn’t it amazing? Psalm 119:86 says: “All Your commandments are faithful…”, and He never falls short of upholding, sustaining, even rescuing each of His sons or daughters who yield to Him!

Proverbs 13:17b says, “…a faithful ambassador brings health”, and is not the author of fleshly sicknesses in one’s spiritual journey! Isaiah 55:3 speaks “faithful mercies”1

Look at 1 Corinthians 1:9 where Paul declared, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” And BECAUSE THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it.”

Doesn’t Revelation 19:11 speak about “heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”

Do you understand that Almighty God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” It’s not in “the sweet by and by” but in the ‘here and now’ that the triumphant nature of our faithful God finds full release!

G.A. Young, in the 1930’s, wrote a hymn entitled “God Leads Us Along.” [Renewal by Lillenas Publishing Co., Owner}. It says:

“In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; Where the water’s cold flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright, God leads His dear children along; Sometimes in the valley in the darkest of night, God leads His dear children along.

Tho’ sorrows befall us, and Satan oppose, God leads His dear children along; Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes, God leads His dear children along.

Away from the mire, and away from the clay, God leads His dear children along; A – -way up in glory, eternity’s day, God leads His dear children along.

Some thro’ the waters, some thro’ the flood, Some thro’ the fire, but all thro’ the Blood; Some thro’ great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long.” Amen?

CONCLUSION

What an amazing two months this ‘trip’ has been in being greatly awakened and encouraged and inspired! Psalm 25:14 says, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” And the covenant of “Awakenings” is an eternal necessity!

I pray the book has inspired You, encouraged You, enlightened You, as to our Lord’s gracious and merciful faithfulness!

As I drew this book to a close, I was led again to the Lord’s prayer! “Our Father in heaven Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come (NOW!), Your will be done (NOW! Through Sue and I, our kids, grandkids, great grands, with more coming soon, our friends, former churches I pastored, and mission-fields world-wide where I planted the seeds of Your Holy Word!)….For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Yes, His Kingdom rule and reign through King Jesus continues to expand as He continually “awakens” us to His awesome presence, power, and purpose! How, under God’s blessed Heaven, can earthly men be so unbelieving of ALL our loving Lord has done through Christ faithfully for century after century, country after country, and, yes, family after family?

I challenge you, right now, in continuing your “faith journey”, to go to Psalm 27 and read it carefully. I entitled it in my Bible as “The Song of Sovereign Trust!” You’ll be blessed there in an amazing way! Seek Him, love Him, serve Him, share Him, as you continue to learn about “Awakenings’ Necessity”!

BY: J. FARRELL FISHER, SEPT. 3-4, 2017

Thank Holy God that Paul was inspired to write in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, AND is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

And don’t you think or consider that it is advisable, essential, absolutely necessary that we proclaim “Sour Grapes” to the insatiable devourers of those eating from the wrong tree? In Jeremiah 31:27-30 the Lord God Almighty spoke concerning His “chosen people” who were to usher in the blessing of His grace, mercy, and love to, yes, the nations of the known world, but something happened spiritually in their hearts and minds, and they ‘back-tracked’ to sin and self-indulgent ‘religious activity’ rather than the “Redeemer’s Ministry”! The Word says:

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. In those days they shall say no more: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ BUT EVERY ONE shall die FOR HIS OWN INIQUITY; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.”

And, how deviant do you find those determined in their own minds and hearts that “Sour Grapes” is OK? Have you ever been around the unashamed “indecency of trash talkers and trash takers and trash tossers” who so desire for you to be a part of what they are up to in their, yes, reckless lives and old ‘sin-nature choices’?

Ezekiel 24 is a convicting, challenging, life-changing chapter if one has chosen “sour grapes” rather than “sure grace”! In Verses 13-14 Holy God arose! (Does He still arise at times to confront “abominable walkers” who believe “flesh choices are OK” if you “believe in the blood of the Lamb”? HEAR ALMIGHTY GOD! “In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, you will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.

I the Lord, have spoken it; it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not hold back, nor will I spare, nor will I relent; According to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you,” says the Lord God.’” And God’s charges against His “chosen people” Israel? Idolatry, sexual immorality, and shedding of innocent blood as they, yes, sacrificed their babies on His altar!

And a few verses down God told them: Verse 21, about their “arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul…and their sons and daughters they just left on their own, and THEY end up “falling by the sword”!

Oh, and true disciples in the midst of all this “sour grapes living” surrounding you, when His judgment falls, they’ll come running to you for an answer to their sin-stained lives and tattered existence! Ezekial 24:25-27, God speaking to a faithful servant: “And you, son of man – will it not be in the day when I TAKE THEM FROM THEIR STRONGHOLD, THEIR JOY AND THEIR GLORY, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters: that on that day one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears. On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. THUS YOU will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.” [But do they learn too late?].

I’m telling you: individual, married couple, family, friends, city, state, or nation: “It’s time to seek the Lord who has sought you out, even with a heavy-hand, to turn you from vainness, bad-choices, defiance, disobedience, and RECEIVE AMAZING GRACE AND MERCY to no longer be your own master, but fully desiring to be Mastered by the Master, King Jesus!” He’s not a bad king, but King of kings and Lord of lords!

In Ezekiel 34:25-27, how necessary to hear and receive these words!! “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause ‘wild beasts’ to cease from the land, (lions, tigers, jackals, fierce bears, poisonous snakes, alligators, crocodiles? I don’t think so! ‘Wild beasts’? How about ‘sinners’, cruel and callous mean men, super-intelligent, godless professors, independent owners of much of the world’s wealth, or the angry, poverty stricken who know nothing, really, about ‘deserving more’, or, yes, “the pretenders” who CAN BE the strongest roadblocks to the True Pathway to the fullness of the blessing in Christ?), Back to the passage!!,; and they (The established in the Faith under the True Shepherd!),will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

THEN the trees of the field (Who are they? The apples, the oranges, the mangos, the pears? NO! The trees of God’s field are His reborn, replanted, resurrected men and women planted, cared for, nurtured by the Holy Spirit!), then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. (Where YOU’RE PLANTED, GOD GIVES THE PROMISE OF INCREASE! DO YOU LET HIM?). They shall be safe in their land, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. (Who’s that? The world, the flesh, and Satan!)….Oh, Verse 29!! “I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. Verse 30-31? Thus they shall know that, I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, who are My people,” says the Lord God.” THERE WAS AND IS TODAY THE TRUE REMNANT! VERSE 31, “YOU are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God, “ says the Lord God.

Can you say, “Glory to the Father or Glory to God, Glory to the Son, Glory to the Spirit, the blessed “Three-in-One”? Can YOU say, “I know I am God’s child, birthed by the Holy Spirit through the “seed” of the Word of God”?

But, “Sour grapes”, or “wild beasts”? Does that describe “the perpetually desolate”? Are you aware, though they don’t see it or know it, there are folks, who are, according to Psalm 35:26, “Clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against Me”?

“Sour grapes”, “wild beasts”, independent, self-sufficient, the disdainers of God’s Truth, the worldly, self-centered, humanly sufficient crowd, the haters of knowledge, the refusers who choose to “fear the Lord”, the spiritually complacent though ‘glowing’ in their human attributes and abilities and attitudes and actions, constantly patting themselves on their backs with their own ‘self-imagined award winning of human capability’, and yet no true security or, for the day of death, no ‘door’ to eternal blessing but only the ‘door’ to Satanic oversight!

Dare I tell you? There is nothing ‘pleasant’ to the man who lives faithlessly, lives cemented in his fleshly desires, lives in the deep, dark waters of human abilities void of the “Life-Preserver” of true blood redemption, “New life”, “eternal purpose”, and the Word of God and the Spirit of God and the Family of God surrounding and overseeing, and boosting and encouraging your every step in His “blessed Kingdom-Rule”!

To be gut-level honest with you: I don’t know how any man, without Christ, lives a ‘confident life’ that has no true benefits, no spiritual provision, no wealth of the Word feeding Him the True Bread and the Meat of Life daily, and with No Spotter, (the Spirit), guiding His every step! It’s a “roll-of-the-dice”, but that was and is not God’s design or desire for YOU! Jesus said, “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest!”

“Sour grapes”? Do you see, sense, yes, and sympathize for those who reject God’s compassion, mercy, and love, and choose for themselves to walk in the paths of sin and death, caught in the strong cords of sinful natures, entrapped by the ‘wild schemes of Satan’ like an animal-like man or woman laying their traps to take you down?

“Sour grapes”? That’s no desire to welcome at all God’s cords of conviction because ‘fleshly pleasure’ is their supreme desire, and “pleasing God” is the furthermost step away from them! Goodness even may be a trait of both the ‘lost’ and the “found”, but only Godliness is the fruit, character and nature of God alone, but He’s willing to live in you if you’re tired of a “sour-grapes mentality”!

Why not turn from, yes, your “sour grapes” but Merciful God’s “SURE GRACE”? Yet, sadly, many turn willful deaf ears and willful blind away from Eternal Truth about God and His love and man and his deceived sin-nature that, as I’ve already said, some ‘believers still give into, because of their ‘love affair’ with that old sin-nature, because the world looks down on the call to holiness, and because Satan himself deceives, lures, tempts, ensnares with his mocking ways of Kingdom living! [Why don’t you study and check out: “Imprisoned In Babylon”? Consider seriously, intently, purposefully about resolving the reality of Satan’s desire for YOU to choose ‘darkness’ OR to see the blessing of “walking in the Light”, studying “best effort still opening the door to ‘sin’” OR “Blessed by Emmanuel, “God in flesh” willingly laying down His life for the glory of God !].

And, if you resolve, yes, your dilemma about whether to “stay” devoted to your old nature or “rest” in Christ’s finished work at Calvary and the Empty Tomb, you may “see the Light”! And the angels will arouse all of Heaven to rejoice over you! In “sour grapes” living, you are definitely in the ‘world’ and a part of the ‘world’ that shuts the door into the Face of Almighty God! In the “old man dilemma”, YOU are surrounded by a dark cloud of sinfulness, But the Son shines on you, your ‘storms’ still blow, but He speaks and says, as they blow, “Peace be still!” Your problems may abound, intensify, try to overcome you and break you down, but King Jesus arises saying, “Peace, be still!” Your ‘problems’ invite Jesus, yes, to be YOUR “Problem Solver”, because not many flesh men can solve their dilemmas – they just try to survive them, but the “faithful in Christ” still says: “Peace be still!”.

Be assured: You’ll either lean on yourself, trying your best, or you’ll look to the Helper, you’ll either “look for another, better day, OR you’ll “rest” in Christ alone now, come what may! You also need to understand that those “dark nights of the soul” will be unveiled by the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ to shock the Hell out of every human soul that leans to his/her own understanding, closing out the Redeemer, The Victor, the Conqueror over anything you face!

What would you do if you secretly sinned and shamed the Savior, then He comes, He knocks on YOUR DOOR, and says: “I’m going to expose you – REPENT OR ELSE YOUR EXPOSURE COMES!” Yes, the day comes when Holy God is ready to pull back the curtains of one’s self-indulgent life, even in some ‘professing believers’, darkened in secret sins, and He comes not with ‘blind eyes’ but to let you know, He’s seen! Nothing, nothing, nothing is hidden unless “washed away by the blood of the Lamb of God, not to be resurrected or unveiled or broadcasted”!!

The ‘dark nights of the soul’ WILL hang around and seek to shudder the “Eternal Light of the Abiding Christ in you” that is your only hope of overcoming, yes, the darkness you allow! Many, yes, true believers are targets of their enemies, and their ‘enemies’ will do WHATEVER to split your allegiance, invert your eternal priorities, cloud your spiritual mind, pierce it, anyway possible, for leakage, heighten the, yes, at times, the influences, strong opposition, and deceitful doors they want to open to “bring you down” from “Throne-Living In and Through Jesus”, demoralizing your True Identity in Him and emphasizing the ‘pleasures’(?) of the world, the flesh and the devil!

Oh, but Christ Jesus is ALIVE AND WELL AND PRESENT AND DESIRES TO REIGN VICTORIOUS IN YOU AS ONE WHO IS MORE THAN CONQUEROR! He’s Redeemer, He’s Atoner, He’s Master and Lord over life, over death, over temptation, over deceit, over your ‘flesh’, over the demons of Hell who want you blinded to His All-Sufficient Grace, Mercy, and Love, and to be the “More than Conqueror in you as He fights your battles if you allow Him! “SURE GRACE”? Let me sum it up in Matthew 5:3-12!! “Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek (teachable), for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those WHO HUNGER AND THIRST For Righteousness, for THEY shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart (washed in the blood of the Lamb!), for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. REJOICE and BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you!” “IN CHRIST” YOU are “salt of the earth”, “light of the world”, “Let YOUR light shine!”

OR

THE MIND FULL OF GOD’S MERCY?”

BY:J.FARRELL FISHER, JUNE 6-7, 2019

IT WAS JOHN BUNYAN WHO WROTE YEARS AGO IN HIS “PILGRIM’S PROGRESS”, “AS FOR MY FEEBLE MIND, THAT I WILL LEAVE BEHIND ME, FOR THAT I HAVE NO NEED OF THAT IN THE PLACE WHITHER I GO; NOR IS IT WORTH BESTOWING UPON THE POOREST PILGRIM; WHEREFORE, WHEN I AM GONE, I DESIRE THAT YOU WOULD BURY IT IN A DUNGHILL.” SORRY BUNYAN, BUT YEARS AGO YOU ALIGNED YOURSELF WITH ‘SPIRITUAL STUPIDITY’, NOT WITH SOVEREIGN GRACE & MERCY & LOVE! “THE MIND-FULL-NESS OF MISERY”?

IN “THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGIOUS QUOTATIONS” (PUBLISHED IN 1964 BY FLEMING H.REVELL COM., WESTWOOD, NJ), RICHARD CECIL WROTE THIS: “A PERFECTLY JUST & SOUND MIND IS A RARE & INVALUABLE GIFT. BUT IT IS STILL MORE UNUSUAL TO SEE SUCH A MIND UNBIASED IN ALL ITS ACTINGS. GOD HAS GIVEN THIS SOUNDNESS OF MIND BUT TO FEW: & A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THESE FEW ESCAPE THE BIAS OF SOME PREDILECTION PERHAPS HABITUALLY OPERATING; & NONE ARE AT ALL TIMES PERFECTLY FREE. AN EXQUISITE WATCH WENT IRREGULARLY, THOUGH NO DEFECT COULD BE DISCOVERED IN IT. AT LAST IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BALANCE WHEEL HAD BEEN NEAR A MAGNET; & HERE WAS ALL THE MISCHIEF. IF THE SOUNDEST MIND BE MAGNETIZED BY ANY PREDILECTION, IT MUST ACT IRREGULARLY.”

‘PREDILECTION PERHAPS HABITUALLY OPERATING’? A ‘GODLESS MIND’ THAT FUNCTIONS ON THE BASIS OF HIS/HER OWN THOUGHTS,WILLS, OR EMOTIONS, IS A TRUE PICTURE OPERATING HABITUALLY ON ‘FLESH’, THE ‘WORLD’S OPINIONS, &, YES, THE SATANIC & DEMONIZED MIND SET’ FULLY OPPOSED TO GOD! BUT J.B.PHILLIPS, IN HIS WRITING ENTITLED “NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY”, SAID: “THE MODERN INTELLIGENT MIND, WHICH HAS HAD ITS HORIZONS WIDENED IN A DOZEN DIFFERENT WAYS, HAS GOT TO BE SHOCKED AFRESH BY THE AUDACIOUS CENTRAL FACT THAT AS A SOBER MATTER OF HISTORY, GOD BECAME ONE OF US.” BUT MINDS,YES, HELL-BENT BY SATAN, THE PROMOTER OF “HAS GOD REALLY SAID…?”, HAS SAID,BECAUSE SATAN, AS ‘lord’ over the kingdom of darkness, had no desire to honor God’s Word,BUT SOUGHT TO DISTRACT EVERY HUMAN POSSIBLE FROM HEARING THE “GOOD NEWS OF BLOOD-BOUGHT RECONCILIATION THROUGH CHRIST THE LORD, THE VERY EMBODIMENT OF HOLY GOD IN THE NATURAL ESTATE OF LIFE POISONED BY THE ‘FALLING AWAY FROM GOD” STUPIDITY”,& SATAN, A FALLEN WORLD SYSTEM AWAY FROM GOD, & CEMENTED-SELF-SUFFICIENTLY OF GOD, SEEK TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY OF HIM, NOT EVEN KNOWING THERE IS A ‘DAY OF ACCOUNTABILITY’ WHEN THEY’LL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF KING JESUS!!

“A MIND OF ONE’S OWN”? OF COURSE, GOD SAID OVER & OVER, “YOU CHOOSE WHOM OR WHAT YOU’LL SERVE!” SO, GODLESS HUMANITY EMERGED, GODLESS SOCIETIES SICKENED WITH THE ‘DISEASE OF SIN’ EMERGED, THE LAWLESS BECAME BLAMELESS, THE ‘RELIGIOUS’ BECAME ‘BRAIN-WASHED’ WITH A MORAL DESERT OF ‘GOD UNDERSTANDS KNOWING WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING BUT SIN’, & THE ‘CHURCH-ITES’, THE ‘PRIEST-ITES’, THE HIGHLY EDUCATED IN MANLY FLESHLINESS, COOPERATED TO TRY & BLIND GOD’S “REMNANT” TO THE ETERNAL TRUTH THAT FALLEN MANKIND WAS “CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST”, BUT RAISED IN POWER & GLORY TO OFFER THE ETERNAL REALITY OF “CHRIST IN YOU YOUR HOPE OF GLORY.”

“THE MINDFULNESS OF MISERY?” IT WAS WALTER LIPPMANN WHO ONCE SAID, “IN THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS TO INTOLERANCE ARE THE SEEDS OF UNBELIEF.” SEEDS OF UNBELIEF? BUT THEY SOON ERUPT IN SERIOUS OPPOSITION TO HOLY GOD! SEEDS OF UNBELIEF BIRTH RADICAL, YES, CRIMINAL OPPOSITION TO HOLY GOD, ALWAYS BIRTHING THE MINDS OF MISERY BECAUSE IT UNVEILS & EXPOSES THE CORRUPTION OF A CHRIST-LESS CONSCIENCE, SELFISH EMOTIONS, & ‘DRUNKEN’ HABITS THAT ‘BLIND’ ONE TO THE SOBERNESS OF YIELDEDNESS TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY, HIS AMAZING LOVE, & HIS ETERNAL GRACE!

“THE MINDFULNESS OF MISERY?” UNBELIEF WAS ‘BIRTHED’ BY SATAN & THE ‘POWERS OF DARKNESS’ TO PROMOTE, BUT DEMOTE MEN, TO SATANIC SUPERFICIAL THINKING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AWESOME MIND & HEART OF HOLY GOD. ‘THE MINDFULNESS OF MISERY’? IT’S ONE MAJORING ON HIS/HER INABILITY AS A ‘SUPERFICIAL THINKER’ TO EVEN TRY TO DEAL WITH ETERNALLY BIRTHED, SOVEREIGNLY SUPERINTENDED, GRACIOUSLY TAUGHT BY ANOINTED MEN OF GOD, THE REALITY OF “BLOOD REDEMPTION THEOLOGY” THROUGH THE BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH, RESURRECTION, & PRESENT REIGN OF KING JESUS!

“THE MINDFULNESS OF MISERY?” DENYING GOD’S GRACE & MERCY IS THE ‘PLATFORM’ OF A SELF-GOVERNING CANDIDATE WHO ‘MOCKS’ AT GOD’S ETERNAL TRUTH AS HE/SHE SPOUTS IGNOBLE UNBELIEF! HAVE YOU EVER VIEWED A ‘DESERT’ THAT IS BARREN, A ‘DESERT’ THAT DENIES ‘SOVEREIGNTY’, A ‘DESERT’ THAT SEES ‘TRUE FAITH’ AS A BOARDING ROOM IN HELL, A ‘DESERT’ THAT IS SURELY ‘CRIMINAL’ BECAUSE IT SETTLED IN DEFILED HEARTS & NOT SOVEREIGNLY BLESSED, REPENTANT SINNERS, CONVERTED TO EXTEND GOD’S KINGDOM, EXPRESS HIS LOVE, & PROVE HIS POWER? IN ISAIAH 59:1-10,NOT ONLY ABOUT ISRALEIS WHO LIVED IN DARKNESS, BUT WE READ, YES, ABOUT THE ‘FAITHLESS’, THE SPIRITUALLY INDIFFERENT, THE ‘MIND OF MY OWN PRETENDER’ THAT EVERY THING IS ‘OK’ BECAUSE HE/SHE IS IN CONTROL, & HOLY GOD UNVEILS THAT PERSON OR THAT PEOPLE’S ETERNAL DEATH SENTENCE UNDER SATAN’S CONTROL:

“BEHOLD, THE LORD’S HAND IS NOT SHORTENED THAT IT CANNOT SAVE;NEITHER HIS EAR HEAVY THAT HE CANNOT HEAR: BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU & YOUR GOD, & YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR. (WHY?), FOR YOUR HANDS ARE DEFILED WITH BLOOD, & YOUR FINGERS WITH INIQUITY; YOUR LIPS HAVE SPOKEN LIES, YOUR TONGUE HAS MUTTERED PERVERSENESS. NONE CALLS FOR JUSTICE, NOR ANY PLEADS FOR TRUTH: THEY TRUST IN VANITY, & SPEAK LIES; THEY CONCEIVE MISCHIEF, & BRING FORTH INIQUITY. THEY HATCH COCKATRICE’EGGS, & WEAVE THE SPIDER’S WEB; HE THAT EATS OF THEIR EGGS DIES; & THAT WHICH IS CRUSHED BREAKS OUT IN A VIPER (SNAKE).

THEIR WEBS SHALL NOT BECOME GARMENTS, NEITHER SHALL THEY COVER THEMSELVES WITH THEIR WORKS: THEIR WORKS ARE WORKS OF INIQUITY, & THE ACT OF VIOLENCE IS IN THEIR HANDS. THEIR FEET RUN TO EVIL, & THEY MAKE HASTE TO SHED INNOCENT BLOOD (BE SURE & TELL THAT TO THE PARENTS & DOCTORS & HOSPITALS & ADMINISTRATORS WHO ALLOW PRECIOUS BIRTHED BABIES IN THE WOMB OR OUT OF IT TO BE ‘KILLED’! SHAME ON YOU!).

THEIR THOUGHTS ARE THOUGHTS OF INIQUITY; WASTING & DESTRUCTION ARE IN THEIR PATHS. THE WAY OF PEACE THEY KNOW NOT; & THERE IS NO JUDGMENT IN THEIR GOINGS; THEY HAVE MADE THEM CROOKED PATHS: WHOEVER GOES THEREIN SHALL NOT KNOW PEACE. THEREFORE IS JUDGMENT FAR FROM US, NEITHER DOES JUSTICE OVERTAKE US; WE WAIT FOR LIGHT, BUT BEHOLD OBSCURITY; FOR BRIGHTNESS, BUT WE WALK IN DARKNESS. WE GROPE FOR THE WALL LIKE THE BLIND, & WE GROPE AS IF WE HAD NO EYES; WE STUMBLE AT NOON DAY AS IN THE NIGHT;WE ARE IN DESOLATE PLACES AS DEAD MEN.” AND, DEAR FRIEND, THAT’S FOR THE UNBELIEVER, THE ‘PRETENDER’, THE ‘CHURCH FOLK’ WHO’VE NEVER DIED TO ‘SELF’ THAT THE RESURRECTION PRESENCE OF CHRIST MAY BE MANIFESTED IN & THROUGH THEIR MORTAL BODIES!! NO LONGER PRETENSE – BUT HIS PRESENCE! NO LONGER TRYING – BUT TRUSTING! NO LONGER ‘BEST EFFORT’ – BUT GLADLY ACCEPTING “CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST” SO THAT HE’LL KNOW HE WILL BE COMFORTABLE IN A BODILY PRESENCE THAT PLAYS NO ‘RELIGIOUS GAME ON SUNDAYS’ BUT KNOWS HIS ETERNAL, RESURRECTED, SPIRITUAL PRESENCE UNVEILED BY THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT!!!

OH, YES! THERE IS “THE MINDFULNESS OF MISERY”, BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN OF A DARKENED LIFE? IT IS “THE MIND FULL OF GOD’S MERCY”!!! PSALM 103:17 DECLARES, “BUT THE MERCY OF THE LORD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING UPON THEM THAT FEAR HIM, & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO CHILDREN’S CHILDREN.” WOW!! JEREMY TAYLOR ONCE WROTE: “MERCY IS LIKE THE RAINBOW, WHICH GOD HAS SET IN THE CLOUDS; IT NEVER SHINES AFTER IT IS NIGHT. –IF WE REFUSE MERCY HERE, WE SHALL HAVE JUSTICE IN ETERNITY.”

HOW CLEAR DO “YOU” FIND TITUS 3:5 AS PAUL ENCOURAGED A SPIRITUAL SON AS WE SHOULD TO EVERYONE AROUND US TODAY! HE SAID: “NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION, & RENEWING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” THE MIND FULL OF GOD’S MERCY IS AN AMAZED ‘OBSERVER’ WHO WITNESSES CHRIST’S CRUCIFIXION & RECOGNIZES, AS HE SHEDS HIS OWN BLOOD, SEES HIS LIFE OFFERED AS GOD’S MOUNTAINOUS MERCY FOR ALL ‘SINNERS’, & EVEN AS THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, THE LORD, FROM THE PAINFUL CROSS, PRAYED, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE ALLOWING IN MY SUFFERING, MY SHED BLOOD, & MY DEATH”, BUT HE KNEW, AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, THERE WOULD BE MULTITUDES WHO LEAN NOT TO THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING, BUT LEAN ON CHRIST’S MERCY!

IN “THE BROADMAN HYMNAL” OF 1940 (PUBLISHED IN NASHVILLE, TENN., BY THE BROADMAN PRESS, (P.112), IS A HYMN BY ISAAC WATTS & R.E.HUDSON ENTITLED “AT THE CROSS.” IT SAYS: “ALAS, & DID MY SAVIOR BLEED, & DID MY SOVEREIGN DIE? WOULD HE DEVOTE THAT SACRED HEAD FOR SUCH A WORM AS I?

WAS IT FOR CRIMES THAT I HAVE DONE, HE GROANED UPON THE TREE? AMAZING PITY! GRACE UNKNOWN! AND LOVE BEYOND DEGREE!

WELL MIGHT THE SUN IN DARKNESS HIDE , & SHUT HIS GLORIES IN, WHEN CJHRIST, THE MIGHTY MAKER DIED, FOR MAN THE CREATURE’S SIN.

BUT DROPS OF GRIEF CAN NEVER REPAY THE DEBT OF LOVE I OWE: HERE, LORD, I GIVE MYSELF AWAY, IT’S ALL THAT I CAN DO!

AT THE CROSS, AT THE CROSS WHERE I FIRST SAW THE LIGHT, & THE BURDEN OF MY HEART ROLLED AWAY, IT WAS THERE BY FAITH I RECEIVED MY SIGHT, & NOW I AM HAPPY ALL THE DAY!”

THIS IS WHY IN HEBREWS 12:28 WE READ, “WHEREFORE WE RECEIVING A KINGDOM WHICH CANNOT BE MOVED, LET US HAVE GRACE, WHEREBY WE MAY SERVE GOD ACCEPTABLY WITH REVERENCE & GODLY FEAR.”

“THE MIND FULL OF GOD’S MERCY”? I THINK THAT WOULD SET ASIDE WHAT ONE BELIEVES ABOUT “A MIND OF ONE’S OWN”, BECAUSE A MIND OF ONE’S OWN IS ‘GRASPING’ & ‘GRIPPING’ & SEEKING TO ‘GOVERN’ ONE’S OWN MIND APART FROM GOD’S INTERFERENCE! THAT’S WHAT PAUL UNDERSTOOD THROUGH, YES, THE ‘TUTORING’ OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO “GUIDES US & GOVERNS US IN ALL OF GOD’S HOLY TRUTHS”! IN ROMANS 1:28 HE WROTE ABOUT HIS OWN PEOPLE, THE ISRAELI ‘RELIGIOUS-SPIRITUALLY-ELITE’, AT LEAST IN THEIR OWN MINDS, SAYING OF THEM, “AND EVEN AS THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND, TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT CONVENIENT,” ADDING IN ROMANS 8:7 THE REALITY OF, “BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD: FOR IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD, NEITHER INDEED CAN BE.”

OH, PAUL DIDN’T SLOW DOWN AT ALL! IN EPHESIANS 4:17 HE WROTE: “THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU, TESTIFYING IN THE LORD, THAT YOU HENCEFORTH WALK NOT AS OTHER GENTILES WALK, IN THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND.” IN HIS COLOSSIANS LETTER, CHAPTER 2,VERSE 18, HE SAID: “LET NO MAN BEGUILE YOU OF YOUR REWARD IN A VOLUNTARY HUMILITY & WORSHIPPING OF ANGELS, INTRUDING INTO THOSE THINGS WHICH HE HAS NOT SEEN, VAINLY PUFFED UP BY HIS FLESHLY MIND, VERSE 19, & NOT HOLDING THE “HEAD”, FROM WHICH ALL THE BODY BY JOINTS & BANDS HAVING NOURISHMENT MINISTERED, & KNIT TOGETHER, INCREASES WITH THE (VERY) INCREASE OF GOD (HIMSELF) (IN ONE’S MIND, HEART, & SPIRIT)!!” (I’D ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEND SOME GOOD TIME IN PSALM 37,ONE OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENING, CONVICTING, DRAWING PASSAGES OF HOLY SCRIPTURE ABOUT “THE GOOD MAN WHOSE VERY STEPS ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD”!).

APART FROM GOD’S PRESENCE IN A REPENTANT, TRUSTING HEART & MIND, MEN ARE ‘WANDERERS’ IN THE “STRANGE LAND OF GODLESSNESS” WITH “NO SOUNDNESS IN THEIR FLESH”, BUT ONLY “DIS-CHORDS”, “OFF-KEY”, “WILD-TUNES” OF SELF-TRUST THAT WINS SATAN’S ‘HELLISH AWARDS FOR SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTMENT” WHICH IS NOTHING MORE THAN SPIRITUAL STUPIDITY HEIGHTENING THE SINFUL HEART & MIND OF UNBELIEF OF RELIGIOUS PRETENDING! OH, BUT THERE IS FOREVER THE REALITY OF “THE MIND-FULL-NESS OF GOD’S MERCY”!

IN PSALM 103:17 THE PSALMIST ENLIGHTENS ALL WHO NEED TO BE ENLIGHTENED! HE SAID: “BUT THE MERCY OF THE LORD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING UPON THEM THAT FEAR HIM, & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO CHILDREN’S CHILDREN.” SO “AWE-INSPIRING”! WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, IN HIS WRITING, “THE MERCHANT OF VENICE,” (ACT IV, SC.1,L.184), WROTE: “THE QUALITY OF MERCY IS NOT STRAINED, IT DROPS AS THE GENTLE RAIN FROM HEAVEN UPON THE PLACE BENEATH:IT IS TWICE BLEST, IT BLESSES HIM THAT GIVES & HIM THAT TAKES: IT IS MIGHTIEST IN THE MIGHTY: IT BECOMES THE THRONED MONARCH BETTER THAN HIS CROWN…IT IS ENTHRONED IN THE HEARTS OF KNGS, IT IS AN ATTRIBUTE OF GOD HIMSELF.” GREAT WORDS, BUT LIMITING GOD’S MERCY ONLY TO KINGS DOESN’T PRESENT THE REALITY OF UNCHANGING TRUTH – GOD IS MERCIFUL TO ANY MAN WHO NEEDS MERCY & ASKS FOR IT!!

DIDN’T CHARLES WESLEY HAVE A “CHRISTMAS HYMN” IN WHICH HE’D WRITTEN THESE WORDS? “HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING, ‘GLORY TO THE NEW-BORN KING; PEACE ON EARTH, & MERCY MILD, GOD & SINNERS RECONCILED!” HAVE “YOU” BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD?

SEVERAL VITAL,ENLIGHTENING VERSES IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES!

• 2 CORINTHIANS 5:18, “AND ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, WHO HAS RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF BY JESUS CHRIST, & HAS GIVEN TO US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.”
• EPHESIANS 2:16, “AND THAT HE (CHRIST JESUS) MIGHT RECONCILE BOTH (JEW & GENTILE) UNTO GOD IN ONE BODY BY THE CROSS, HAVING SLAIN THE ENMITY THEREBY…”
• HEBREWS 2:17, “WHEREFORE IN ALL THINGS IT BEHOOVED HIM TO BE MADE LIKE UNTO HIS BRETHREN, THAT HE MIGHT BE A MERCIFUL & FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN THINGS PERTAINING TO GOD, TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.” AMEN?

I CLOSE WITH WILLIAM WORDSWORTH’S WORDS IN HIS WRITING “THOUGHTS SUGGESTED ON THE BANKS OF THE NITH”:

“SWEET MERCY! TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN THIS MINSTREL LEAD, HIS SINS FORGIVEN; THE RUEFUL CONFLICT, THE HEART RIVEN WITH VAIN ENDEAVOR, & MEMORY OF EARTH’S BITTER LEAVEN EFFACED FOREVER.” AMEN?

EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, IF YOU ARE “IN CHRIST”, SHOULD BE A DAY OF TRUE WORSHIP, AWESOME PRAISE, & UNCEASING ADORATION FOR THE MERCIFUL SAVIOR, LORD, & LIBERATOR OF FALLEN MANKIND OUT OF ‘DEATH’ INTO “ETERNAL LIFE” BY GOD’S LOVEM HIS SAVING GRACE, & HIS EXTENDED HANDS OF MERCY!

HAVE “YOU” BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST JESUS, THE REDEEMING “MEDIATOR” BETWEEN GOD & MAN THROUGH HIS “SHED BLOOD” ON CALVARY’S CROSS? I PROMISE YOU, I’M CLOSING THIS MESSAGE WITH ANOTHER OLD HYMN OUT OF THE BROADMAN HYMNAL ENTITLED “WHY DO YOU WAIT?” (P.170). IT SAYS: “WHY DO YOU WAIT, DEAR BROTHER, OH, WHY DO YOU TARRY SO LONG? YOUR SAVIOR IS WAITING TO GIVE YOU A PLACE IN THIS SANCTIFIED THRONG.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE, DEAR BROTHER, TO GAIN BY A FURTHER DELAY? THERE’S NO ONE TO SAVE YOU BUT JESUS, THERE’S NO OTHER WAY BUT HIS WAY.

DO YOU NOT FEEL, DEAR BROTHER, HIS SPIRIT NOW STRIVING WITHIN? OH, WHY NOT ACCEPT HIS SALVATION, & THROW OFF YOUR BURDEN OF SIN.

WHY DO YOU WAIT, DEAR BROTHER? THE HARVEST IS PASSING AWAY; YOUR SAVIOR IS LONGING TO BLESS YOU, THERE’S DANGER &DEATH IN DELAY. WHY NOT? WHY NOT? WHY NOT COME TO JESUS RIGHT NOW?” REPENT BEFORE HOLY GOD, & REACH OUT TO THE VICTORIOUS CHRIST WHO, YES, “WON” OVER SIN & DEATH, & PRESENTLY REIGNS, EVEN AS HE CONTINUALLY KNOCKS AT YOUR HEART’S DOOR,ASKING, “PLEASE, LET ME IN TO BLESS YOU BEYOND ANY MEASURE!!!” AMEN?777777777

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, AUGUST 20-22, 2017

In “The Thompson CHAIN-REFERENCE BIBLE”, published by Frank Charles Thompson and B.B. Kirkbridge Bible Co., Inc, Indianapolis, Indiana, there is found an awesome, inspiring, convicting Word of God about “The Soul’s Wars Or Life’s Victory”!! Come with me to Romans 7:4-11, and Verses 14-25! Read carefully!! It says, (The old King James Version!!), “Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. (That’s ‘spiritual death’!). But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, You shall not covet.

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. (Random House College Dictionary, defines it as “ardent, usually sensuous longing; sexual desire, lust, greatly desiring,” – or ‘gripped by desire, fleshly desires, rather than “led by the Holy Spirit”!). For without the law, sin was dead.

For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (SIN ALWAYS BIRTHS SPIRITUAL DEATH!!). And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

(Oh, then come to Verses 14-25!!). The Holy Word says: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh or old sin nature) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin dwells in me. I fins then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man; But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me INTO CAPTIVITY to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Natural mind bondage, gripped by the law of sin or death, even both, OR the spiritual life’s victory through Christ’s shed blood, death through the Cross, but three days later raised from death by the Word, Voice, and Authority of the One True Living God seated on His Throne of glory IN continuous Victory over that law of sin and death!

How many have you known who chose ‘spiritual blindness’ to the Highway of Holiness, continuing on, on the pathways of godlessness, content or deceived or enslaved to their “old nature”, ignoring Christ Jesus’ beckoning call, “I AM God’s Highway of Holiness – no one comes to Him except through Me!” The “spiritually blind” consider themselves, living under the cloud of good intentions, but blind to God’s grace, mercy, and love, unveiled in and through the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ, as ‘OK’- religious but not reconciled, good efforts but not graced by the Father, pretenders but not “New-Born” sons and daughters of Father-God through Christ alone!

In the old “American Hymnal”, published by The Broadman Press” in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1933, there is a very old hymn copyrighted in 1933 by Charles H. Gabriel, (Robert Coleman, the owner), entitled “Draw Near, Immanuel”. It says:

“Draw near to us, O God of hosts, And fill us to the uttermost With zeal to work for You today, In Your all-wise appointed way; Reveal Your will in us, and show Your hand divine, That we may know We are Your children, You our Guide And Hiding place, what’e’er betide.

Draw nigh to us, O Mighty One! Our shelter be from sun to sun; Our Alpha and Omega You Before whom every knee shall bow; Increase our faith, our strength renew, Fit us a mighty work to do.

Draw near to us, Immanuel, You Mighty God of Israel! Once more from Sinai’s flaming height Speak, that we may be led aright; Almighty, everlasting King of kings, with contrite hearts we sing, The righteous majesty and love Of Him who built the heaven’s above.

Draw near, Draw near, Immanuel, In grandeur and in majesty ,reveal Yourself today, Rejoice, rejoice, O Israel of God, Your God Omnipotent shall reign with universal sway; In grandeur and in majesty reveal Yourself today; Your God omnipotent shall reign with universal sway.” But YOU claim the “kingdoms of men”, “the kingdom of ‘best effort’ rather than the Kingdom of Sovereign, Merciful, Loving God?

Recently on TV I saw that ‘on-going commercial’ entitled “Growing Up Hip Hop in Atlanta”, and I thought, “Once again captured by the powers of darkness, totally blinded to the love, grace, and mercy of God “In Christ Jesus Only”, the way, the truth, the life that leads us into “the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ”?” And in the ‘known’ war of the soul, many captured by ‘the world, the flesh, and Satan’ parade daily in the “walk of death, the walk of rejection of Christ, and the walk in the dark clouds of rejection or, yes, the dark clouds of religious ‘pretense’”!

“The soul’s wars”? Do you remember in Exodus 5 as Moses and Aaron confronted the Pharaoh of Egypt with divine, eternal, life-changing truth, that Pharaoh said, in Verse 2, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” And in the “soul’s wars”, whether ‘religious distractions, flesh allegiance, or Satan-inspired unbelief’, unbelievers, though religious, choose,( hear me!), “Hell” over “heart-change” by the love, mercy, and grace of God, “self-determined ways of improvement, even religions”, over the Sovereign, sacred, sure way of everlasting life through Christ Jesus only!!

In 2 Kings 5, follow as we read about “Naaman’s leprosy”, so unveiling the “sin natures” of ALL mankind! It says: Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid, and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Syria! For he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto you, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may recover him of his leprosy.

And it Came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent (or tore) his clothes, and said, Am I god, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sent unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.

And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Why have you rent your clothes? Let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean. But Naaman was wroth (angry), and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

And his servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean? [Dare I tell you that ‘washing’ in the river was a forerunner of “washed in the blood of the Lamb of God”?].

Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray you, take the blessing of your servant.”

What a dramatic, life-changing event, when a man obeys the Word of God! In Luke 6:46 Jesus said: “And why can you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not the things which I say?” In Titus 1:16 Paul, after exposing ‘unruly and vain talkers and deceivers’, ‘professing’ but not “possessing the Indwelling Christ”, wrote: “They profess that they know God; but in works (a daily life of yielding to all He tells us, yes, to do!!!) they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

Oh, and then how do you respond as a ‘professing believer’, ‘hanging on’, but not sure, if persecution comes, that YOU as a regular ‘church attender’ will remain faithful?

Examine Romans 1:18-25! “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (or suppress) the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead: so that they are without excuse; because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations (or speculations), and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up TO UNCLEANNES THROUGH THE LUSTS OF THEIR OWN HEARTS, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves; Who changed the truth of God for “the lie” (one can sin, continue in sin, though a believer, and he/she will be saved in spite of their sin! How atrocious do you find that as you faithfully study, receive, and walk in the Word of God?).”

“God gave sinners up”? Verse 24! “God gave sinners up”? Verse 26! “God gave them up to a reprobate mind?” Verse28! OH! BUT… HEAR ME! ARE THERE THOSE WHO RECEIVE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTION, GRANTED THE GIFTS OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH, AND WILLFULLY TURN FROM THE KNOWN WORLD PHILOSOPHY OF “DOING IT MY WAY”, REPENTING, REPENTING, REPENTING, THEN RESTING IN CHRIST’S CALVARY VICTORY AND RESURRECTION FROM THE TOMB, RECEIVING THE SPIRIT OF HIS INDWELLING, VICTORIOUS LIFE OVER SIN AND DEATH?

Do YOU believe that it is “the goodness and graciousness of God” that leads us to repentance and faith and an eternal heart and life change”? In Romans 2:4 Paul wrote: “Or do you despise the riches of God’s goodness and forbearance and longsuffering Spirit; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” In Acts 5 many “faithful disciples” were brought before the Council accused as ‘traitors’ to the Jewish faith, even suffering from the hands of the supposed ‘spiritual elite’. Acts 5:41 says, “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” They weren’t afraid to suffer for “doing the works of Jesus”, while at the same time many ‘professors of faith’ then and now will succeed and be financially rewarded by some, but lose sight of ministry and service to the glory of God in their daily walks, self-betraying their ‘faith’ because the religious world around them pumps their flesh!

Understand? Biblically, yes, there are ‘soul-worshippers’ in church attendance every Sunday but are blinded to “Life’s Continual Victory” through the abiding Presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords!!

• The Lord Jesus is not a ‘spiritual father’ who abandons or forsakes his own! In Hebrews 12:1-8 the author of Hebrews, inspired by the Spirit, illumines, yes, the warfare every disciple of Christ will face in their spiritual pilgrimage! “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience (steadfastness) the race that is set before us.

Looking unto Jesus, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint (or tired) in your minds. (Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”)

You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin!

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as unto children, ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him.

For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with (obedient) sons; for what son is he whom the father doesn’t chasten? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then you are bastards, and not sons.”

• The Lord Jesus, as the spiritual father, will, does, and forever GUIDES HIS OWN!! In Luke 1:68-79 Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied in Verses 68-79, saying: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up the horn of salvation in the house of His servant David; speaking by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began;

That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; the oath which He swore to our father Abraham, That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before Him, all the day of our lives. And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, To give Light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death (born in it!!), to guide our feet into “the way of peace”.”

In the old “American Hymnal” published in 1933 by Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee, are the words to “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah. It says:

“Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim thro’ this barren land; I am weak, But You are mighty, Hold me with Your powerful hand; Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more; Bread of Heaven, Feed me till I want no More.

Open now the crystal fountain Whence the healing waters flow; Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey through; Strong Deliverer, Be Thou still my Strength and Shield; Strong Deliverer, Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside; Bear me through the swelling current, Land me safe on Canaan’s side; Songs of praises I will ever give to Thee; Songs of praises I will ever give to Thee.”

Can YOU say, “I thank God for saving me, keeping me, and upholding me in His heavenly cloud of unending glory”?

I close with Romans 8:1-2! There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (old sin nature!), but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Is “Hallelujah” your daily celebration of the love, grace, and mercy of Loving God?

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, JULY 11-13, 2018

There’s no doubt if one “lives” in, through, by “The Word of God”, that he/she would be familiar with the fifth book of the New Testament that is referred to by many as the “Acts of the Apostles”, although faithful Bible students truly know that it WAS and IS “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” as the Spirit came at Pentecost to, yes, unveil Christ the Redeemer, Savior, and Lord of the Eternal, Heavenly, Resurrected Life in Christ! Without a doubt, it is one of the most thrilling, demanding, life-changing messages in all the Word of God! It unveils the “blood-bought”, “Christ-Indwelling Disciples”, AND their “mission” under the anointing of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit! And true disciples are told by Christ, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” “Be filled with the Holy Spirit,” “Be guided by the Holy Spirit,” “Be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit”!!

But for many ‘professors of faith’, their service in honor of Christ is a call to “best effort” without any consideration of the need of the Holy Spirit to magnify, honor, or glorify Christ through them – “My best effort is all God asks of me”! Really? Is YOUR ‘faith’ what you hold in yourself as to your ability ‘to do’ whatever Holy God would ask of you? OR, is there “the raising up from spiritual death by the Holy Spirit” what must occur, has occurred, and will occur as loving God seeks to ‘save’ whoever is captive to their old sin natures and separated from Holy God, doing so by Christ’s purchase of men bound and enslaved to their sin natures by shedding His own precious blood FOR “their salvation and deliverance from the bondage of sin and Satan’s ‘hold’ on their lives”, freeing them to be “vessels” or “tabernacles” or “Temples” of His Resurrection Presence?

In Jeremiah 29 there are words from God through Jeremiah unveiling God’s heart not only for “captives” then, but I’m convinced even “captives” now enslaved to their old sin natures and under “satanic’ control! In Verses 11-14a we find a “Thus says the Lord”! “For I know the thoughts that I think toward YOU, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give YOU a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity”! Are YOU “free in Christ” or still bound in ‘flesh-allegiance’, a strong ‘self-will’, or, even worse, ‘bound in Satanic allegiance though unaware YOU allowed him in your life’?

IN Luke 4:16-21 Jesus was rejected at Nazareth, but He still had Eternal Words that had to be shared then and now, The Word saying: So Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written (from Isaiah 61):

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Several questions that each one reading this passage must answer! If Christ Jesus, the Son of God in a human body, necessitated the Holy Spirit’s anointing on His Life of Faith and Obedience, are we, like Jesus, to receive the Holy Spirit in our walk of faith and obedience? (Yet, I would dare say that at least 90% of the Christian community, past, present, and future, have, or will, remain ‘brainless’ about Spirit-Anointed living!).

Beyond ‘Spirit-Anointed Living’, like Christ Jesus, as an eternal necessity, there is the ‘divine unveiling of the necessity of response to the Holy Spirit’s will’! Luke 4:18b tells us, “because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor” – and without hesitation, I’m convinced ‘the poor’ includes but is beyond ‘street beggars’ but includes the vast volumes of life stories poor in God’s intent of the need of ‘lost men’ being reunited to Holy God! And King Jesus was fully aware of the necessity of Holy Spirit “Anointing” in fulfilling God’s call upon one’s earthly walk and journey of “Redeemed Faith Through Holy Spirit Anointing”!!

To be “in Christ” is to live in understanding of our new “eternal calling”, being witnesses of God’s “amazing grace through the blood redemption of the Son of God”, yes, enlightened by the Holy Spirit!

Oh, and then in Luke 4:20b, we read of “eternal enlightment”! “And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were FIXED ON JESUS.” Sadly, there is a ‘world’ surrounding you, even in most churches, whose “eyes” are “FIXED ON EVERYTHING BUT HIM”!!

I personally look upon the Book of Acts as “The Introduction To True Discipleship”, more than likely penned by Luke as a further explanation of his “The Gospel of Luke”! And Acts 1:1-3 is Dr. Luke telling us: “The former account I made, O Theophillus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

Hear me! To have eyes fixed upon Jesus’ resurrection presence is TO SEE AND HEAR AND LEARN OF ‘born-again disciples’ learning of, yes, the reality of Jesus’ ushering in “the kingdom of God in the here and now” AND “new disciples” being enlightened to the reality of extending His kingdom rule, expressing His kingdom love, and proving His kingdom power in touching the needy world with His love, His grace, His mercy, and His power through every new ‘citizen of His Kingdom-rule’!

In Acts 1:6-8 we read, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. BUT you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”

But throughout ‘human history’, which has been and still is resistant to the Holy Spirit “guiding us into all truth”, in Romans 1:18-25, the Apostle Paul alerted us saying: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, because what may be clearly known of God is manifest in them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse;

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, WHO EXCHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR ‘THE LIE’, (The Lie? One can ‘sin’ and not die!), and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

In “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning”, published writings from 1826 to 1844, she had one writing entitled “The Soul’s Travelling” where she introduced it (p.76) saying: “I dwell amid the city, The great humanity which beats Its life along the stony streets, Like a strong unsunned river In a self-made course, is ever Rolling on, rolling on!” Oh, and a few sentences later she wrote about, “The whine of voices that have made Their own grief’s sacredness a trade – The curse that rings hollowly The crime against the misery –“!

Throughout all of human history, Holy God IS honored by some as they “rest” in the finished work of Christ, being guided by the Holy Spirit into all of Christ’s embodiment of Holy Truth! Has the Holy Spirit unfolded in you an understanding of what Christ Jesus was all about in His earthly walk, His faithful ministry, and His historic personal sacrifice “At The Cross”?

In “Unger’s Bible Dictionary”, compiled by Merrill F. Unger and published by Moody Press, (the twentieth printing in 1974!), he defines a “Christian” as follows: “A Christian is a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ the Messiah. This name is more widely employed than any other designation of those who believe unto salvation. However, it occurs in the Sacred Text only three times: “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26); “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost you persuade me to be a Christian’” (Acts 26:28); “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed” (1 Peter 4:16).

The term Christian is clearly a Gentile designation for believers since the word Christ upon which the term was constructed, suggestions recognition of the Messiah, which no unbelieving Jew was prepared to do. Becoming a Christian, according to the N.T., is a very definite act with significant results. According to Lewis Sperry Chafer, no less than thirty-three simultaneous and instantaneous divine undertakings and transformations, which collectively constitute the salvation of a soul, take place the moment one exercises faith in Christ and is saved.

Among these is that a believer in Christ has the guilt of sins removed. Secondly he is taken out of Adam, the sphere of condemnation, and placed in Christ, the sphere of righteousness and justification. Thirdly, he is given a new standing by virtue of his being placed “in Christ” by the Spirit’s baptizing work (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:3-4) and “made…acceptable” (Ephesians 1:6). (Chafer continues):

A Christian then, as Chafer says, “Is not one who does certain things for God but…one for whom God has done certain things; he is not so much one who conforms to a certain manner of life as he is one who has received the gift of eternal life; he is not one who depends upon a hopelessly imperfect state but rather one who has reached a perfect standing before God as BEING IN CHRIST.” (This came out of “Systematic Theology”, Vol.7, p.75).

(Question! “If there are “false Christs” professing to be the “new Messiah”, are we to suppose there are “no false Christians”?). AND, in 2 Peter 2:1-3, Peter, inspired by the Spirit, confronts, whether in New Testament historic days or modern-day ‘Christianity’, the reality of the “pretenders” who must be challenged by the Living Truth! He said: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

When what you’ve been reading here, or in the Word of God, begins to “sound out” Biblical Truth, what does one do? Adapt to the ‘majority’ of Biblical followers who know NOTHING of redemptive truth, OR, be ‘sold out’ to full surrender to the Christ and His error free, Living Word?

Several truths to bring this teaching to an eternal, life-blessing fulfillment and completion: 1) THERE IS THE POWERFUL, SPIRITUALLY MAGNETIC, AWESOME PULL OF GOD ON ALL MEN, BEYOND AND ABOVE WHAT HE/SHE DETERMINES FOR ONE’S SELF! I will never forget C.S.Lewis’ statement in his book entitled “Mere Christianity” published by Simon & Shuster in 1996, p.121, “If I find in myself a desire that no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” Could that be the ‘other world’ entitled “the kingdom of God” where Christ Jesus IS Lord over all?

I have no hesitation in saying to you that the “trash” of warped, fleshly, worldly, man-educated minds is not the “Treasure of Truth” that IS Christ the Lord Himself, the True –Redemption- Savior- the Master of the “blood-bought sons and daughters” who have understood, repented, rested in Christ’s “finished work” at the Cross, yes, becoming sons and daughters in the Eternal Family of God, having been transformed out of repentance and faith into “new creations” in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

2) THERE IS THE “AT TIMES” SAD AWARENESS OF MEN’S LIVES WHO ARE, YES, TOTALLY SOLD OUT TO A LIFE-WALK VOID OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE GOD AND SAVIOR AND SPIRIT OF LIVES LIVED IN ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS! How ‘wise’ was Solomon when we read in Proverbs 10:6-9, 22-25, “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall. He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.

Verses 22-25, “the blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS HAS AN EVERLASTING FOUNDATION.” Glory!

Blessed or cursed? Walking securely or walking void of the presence of the God of unending promises? ‘Trying’ or “TRUSTING”? “Tiring through life’s journey or ‘resting’ in His abiding strength and power”? Whirlwind existence but with no Promise of Assurance to see you through your storm?

3) I PRAY THAT “YOU” KNOW THERE IS ETERNAL HOPE FOR THE BLESSED LIFE IN CHRIST AS DAILY THE “New-Born” in Christ TAKES THE SENTENCE OF DEATH DAILY TO THE OLD MAN THAT, YES, DAILY, CHRIST JESUS MAY HAVE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE ON HIS THRONE IN YOUR HEART, MIND, AND DAILY WILL OF FULL SURRENDER TO HIS LORDSHIP! In Romans 5:9-11 we read, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be (being) saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE RECONCILIATION.” Are YOU “reconciled to God through Christ”, and YOU KNOW IT?

What does Romans 8:1-6 and Verses 9-17 tell us? There is therefore NOW no condemnation TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh BUT (walk) according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Verses 9-17 follows: But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM, THAT WE MAY ALSO BE GLORIFIED TOGETHER.’

4) ONE MORE VITAL POINT OF INTEREST AND CONCERN ABOUT “FAITHFULNESS FOREVER”! Get Ready! Some are going to be shocked by what they are about to read, even angry with God and with anyone who shares “the whole truth and nothing but the truth”! In Hebrews 3:7-19 we read:

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’

For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Did you hear it and catch the spirit of those who, yes, do “fall away”? THEY DID NOT OBEY, THUS FALLING AWAY THROUGH UNBELIEF!! (PLEASE read carefully Luke 12:35-46, earth-shaking, foundation quaking in many professing lives who live their “faith” in self-awareness, not in and through Christ’s eternal Presence within them, truly their only hope of eternal glory!). (Even 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Paul the Apostle scared Hell out of a lot of professing believers who lived a compromised ‘faith-journey’, assured they were OK when Hell’s gates had already been opened wide for their entrance!).

I close with an old hymn by Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason entitled “A Charge to Keep”, found in The Broadman Hymnal published in 1940 by Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee. It says: “A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify; Who gave His Son my soul to save, And fit it for the sky;

To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill, – O may it all my powers engage To do my Master’s will!

Arm me, Lord, with jealous care, As in Your sight to live; And O, Your servant, Lord, prepare A strict account to give!” Are YOU ready to be examined by your Master as to His will, walk, and ways, being done in you by His Abiding Presence?

There is a stark, shocking verse in Psalm 9:17. It says: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” …In Psalm 50:22 God says: “Now consider this, you that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” “Forgetting God?”

Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary says of forgetfulness: “The quality of losing the remembrance or recollection of a thing; or rather, the quality of being apt to let anything slip from the mind…loss of remembrance or recollection; a ceasing to remember; oblivion…neglect, negligence; careless omission; inattention; as forgetfulness of duty.”

Do you remember Daniel confronting Belshazzar in Daniel 5:22-23? [NAS], “Yet you Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzer, have not humbled your heart even though you knew this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear, or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified.”

Did Daniel say of some, “There are those who have not, do not, will not GLORIFY GOD”? What did he say?: “But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified.” But a Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:14, “Now thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.” Is your walk of faith a testimony of ‘triumph in Christ’ or an unveiling of negligence toward Him, ‘careless omission, inattention; as forgetfulness of duty?’

Romans 1:18-32 are earth-shattering, heart-breaking verses about people and nations who forget God! [Please read before continuing!]

In Hosea 13:4-9 there are sad, prophetic words that ought to grip, convict, and convert every human soul: “Yet I am the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me; For there is no Savior besides Me. I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. When they had pasture, they were filled; they were filled and their heart was exalted; therefore they forgot Me. So I will be to them like a lion; like a leopard by the road I will lurk; I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them. O Israel, you are destroyed, but your help is from me.”

How easy for some to forget Proverbs 14:34!! “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Righteousness is ‘salt’ that preserves while ‘sin’ is poison that destroys. Righteousness is God’s divine preservative for nations while sin is self-inflicted destruction. Psalm 2:11-12 tells us: “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are those who put their trust in Him.”

Do you understand “perishing in the way”? Let’s see if we can discern some of the ways “Why Nations Forget God”!

FIRST, NATIONS FORGET GOD BY OMITTING RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD. In Psalms 37:23 we read: “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord.” God is to be in control of every man’s life, yes, his every step. The New American Standard translates it: “The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He [God] delights in his way.”

I was reading in Marketplace Ministries magazine a statement by Jay Badry. He wrote: “Many people hold fast to the idea that ‘God can do anything,’ but I shrink from that for there is one thing God is incapable of doing: violating His own perfections and attributes. What this means to me is that in a constantly changing world, sinking ever deeper into the mire of depravity, the perfect God is both timeless and changeless. As a kite must be tethered to a fixed point for stability, so my soul, indeed all that I am must be tethered to Him at all times.” That’s a person, a people, and a nation!

If a nation, a life, a family, a business, a ministry, is not ‘tethered’ to God, there is no line, strong line, holding it up soaring in the air where God wants it to soar, but releasing itself from God’s control, it crashes!!

Do you understand that when a government omits responsibility to God it shuts the door on a nation ‘blessed by God’? If you’ve studied American History at all you know that Thomas Jefferson was one of our founding fathers. He is reported to have said: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that those liberties are the gift of God?”

WHEN GOVERNMENT IGNORES, DENIES, SEEKS TO REFUTE THE DIGNITY OF DIVINE INITIATIVE IN ESTABLISHING, YES, A ‘HOLY NATION,’ IT VIOLATES EVERYTHING God intended for the human society He created. When government assumes the Jehovah-Jireh spirit, it has stolen and betrayed the ministry only God can fulfill.

It was D.A. Carson in his book “For The Love Of God” who wrote: “People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

A nation is not liberated if it omits, yes, legislatively that God has no place in our nation – “We’re Free”!! No, that nation that denies God’s right to rule is bound by the chains of darkness and the devil himself!

Is America today being ‘governed’ by “LIBERALS”? Are far too many churches being ‘governed’ by “LIBERALS”? Are far too many academic institutions today being ‘governed’ by “LIBERALS”?

Liberals foul the mind and fool the conscience. Liberals promote their ‘truth’ and crucify “The Truth.”

Liberals bow at the throne of its own deceptive governments and denounce the government of God. Liberals preach tolerance, interpreted by its own actions as intolerant, especially of God and men and women of saving faith.

Liberals spout freedom while subjecting its students to their bondage, spouting individual determination of one’s own destiny void of the true, lasting, eternal foundation of faith in the God who made them, lost them, and then bought them with the price of the shed blood of the Lamb of God.

Liberals bow before the idol of education leaving its devotees anchored to emptiness, impotence, and shallowness, while it celebrates its poverty and bankruptcy and avoids the true riches of grace.

Liberals and their liberalism, having become one of the largest religious systems in the world, builds its ‘foundations of faith’ on the doctrines of death, seen in the philosophy, ’you can make it without God,’ ‘Christians are kooks, the truly uneducated of our society,’ or, ‘the Bible is the fool’s book.’

Liberals major on mental imaginations of men who see themselves as men of superior intellects, when in reality they are the spiritual midgets and dwarfs void of REALITY. Liberalism masks itself in the assertions of “superior knowledge and intellect,” validated by their degrees, failing to see their unmasking because of their denial that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Liberalism promotes a Godless society, not understanding “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God!’” Liberalism is the cloud of “political correctness” that darkens the sky of constitutional and scriptural freedoms, constitutional intent and scriptural ideals, a nation built on the foundation of faith and submission and obedience and worship and devotion to the one True and Living God as revealed in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Liberalism is the noose around the neck of nations and peoples, strangling the very life of divine intent out of institutions, families, and individuals, captured by the deceptions of foolish men intent on enslaving the wills and minds of those under their diabolical influences.

Liberalism is the release of scriptural restraints upon a society unleashing the release of rebellion, ungodliness, “my way,” my thoughts, ‘god’ unto myself, releasing the supposed higher thoughts of men in total opposition to the holy truths of God.

Do you grasp what I’m speaking about? It’s that shallow grasp for a mystical, meaningless nothing; a deception of diabolical, evil, devilish proportions – no God, no truth, no sin, no wrong, no shame, a reckless abandonment of decency and honor for a moment of soul, sensual, sinful, satanic satisfaction that never satisfies.

For many, their better is better than God’s best, satisfied with the philosophy and religion of personal achievement; for many, educational achievement rules and reigns as supremacy over God’s best, intellectually superior to even the knowledge and wisdom of God Himself.

What did I say ‘FIRST’? “NATIONS FORGET GOD BY OMITTING RESPONSIBILTY TO GOD!” That’s not freedom ‘in Christ’ but freedom from responsibility in doing what God says. Didn’t Jesus say, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ – but you do not do what I say.”

Oh, I pray you don’t miss what’s going on across our nation today! They say, “We’re free!!”, and by that there are those who mean “Freedom of release of responsibility in relationships that includes not only God but free from the spiritual care of others! False freedom is the freedom to do your own thing without any consideration of the consequences to the covenant Body of Christ, yes, your local assembly!

False freedom is the freedom to go your own way and do your own thing without one serious thought of leaving voids and vacuums in others! False freedom is the freedom to exercise self-initiative without any submission to Holy Spirit-direction and leadership!

False freedom is the freedom to believe the Gospel without the insight to walk it out where God places you! False freedom is the freedom to see your wisdom as valid that invalidates the wisdom of God for you.

False freedom is the freedom to believe one can preach the Gospel without the nature of Christ leading and to believe one can do that without imparting one’s own life as well. False freedom is to say you’re a friend without the “greater love” of laying down your life for your “friends”.

False freedom is to receive but not to give, the freedom to take and not to share, the freedom to be blessed and ignore the Blessers.

False freedom is to move in an apparent spirituality in order to steal and take from others who accept you blindly because of their loyalty to the Spirit of Christ in them.

False freedom is to abdicate the calling of ministry “helps” with no feeling of guilt or regrets. False freedom is to ignore ‘brotherhood’ because of a greater allegiance to “me-hood”!

False freedom is to reduce others to ‘less-ness’, unimportant to you because of one’s prideful ‘more-ness.’ False freedom is the phony freedom of virtuousness that is a vacuum as one victimizes the greater victors, yes, victimizing the true disciples of Christ with no regrets!

SECOND, NATIONS FORGET GOD AS THEY IGNORE, DENY, SUPPRESS THE MANDATES OF GOD! Deuteronomy 8 is one of God’s most powerful words for any nation anywhere. Please follow me in your own Bible with a marking pen in hand!!

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 says: “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

I’m convinced without a doubt that God wants to put His own fingerprint, His own palm-print, His own signature on our lives! Look at verses 11-14!! “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…”

What is a ‘lifted-up heart’? That’s pride, that’s self-sufficiency, that’s pumped up flesh! Look at verses 17-19! Then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.”

In Matthew 4:4 we read of Jesus saying the same thing we read in Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”….Do you remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy? 2 Timothy 3:14-17, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

I pray that you have not failed to grasp the authority, the power, the true freedom that comes for nations through the Word of God. Psalm 119 is so powerful, so liberating, so redemptive in its truth!! Are you ready? Come to Psalm 119!!

Psalm 119:9, 11…Verse 9, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Verse 11, Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

Psalm 119: 24-25, “Your testimonies also are my delight, and my counselors. My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.”

Psalm 119:37, “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.” Verse 18, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”

Psalm 119: 49, “Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.” Verse 54, “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.”

Psalm 119: 67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” Verse 72, “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”

Psalm 119: 89, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” Verse 92, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.”

Psalm 119: 101, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.” Verses 103-104, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Verse 111, “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.”

Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Verse 133, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.”

Psalm 119:140, “Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.” Verse 160, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Psalm 119:162, “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure.” Verse 165, “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.”

Do you remember Jeremiah’s testimony in Jeremiah 15:16? He said, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”

This is why Peter wrote in I Peter 2:2, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow [up into your salvation.]”

What did Jesus tell us in Matthew 7:24-29? Listen carefully!! “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

Have you ignored, denied, suppressed the Living Word of God?

THIRD, NATIONS FORGET GOD BY THE SUPPRESSION OF THE CELEBRATION AND WORSHIP OF GOD. Come to John 4:7-26!

All around you there is FAMILY DISINTEGRATION but no celebration and worship of the one true and living God. All around you there is pulpit and church quietness but no celebration and worship of the one true and living God. All around you there is national moral decay but no celebration and worship of the one true and living God. All around you there is ‘false religion domination’ but no celebration and worship of the one true and living God!

Nations forget God by the suppression of the celebration and worship of God.

FOURTH AND LAST, NATIONS FORGET GOD BY FORGETTING INTENTIONALLY AND SEEKING TO OBLITERATE THE GREATEST SACRICE OF GOD HIMSELF – THE VERY SHED BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD, JESUS, TO COVER A NATION’S SIN!! Obliterate? Listen to Noah Webster’s definition in his 1828 Dictionary: “To efface, to erase or blot out…to wear out, to destroy by time or means…to reduce to a very low or imperceptible state…to obliterate the monuments of antiquity…”

Well, what about obliterating the truth of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world? That’s Revelation 13:8!! “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.” Before nations existed God knew what fallen nations would do and He decided before the world came into existence that the Son would be the Savior as the Lamb of God slain on the Cross!

Come to Revelation 19:5-10, “Then a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write” ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!!” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

In your history studies did you ever come across the French Statesman Alexis Compte de Tocqueville? In early American history Tocqueville said: “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her rivers, lands, and prairies, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.”

GOD, HELP US! GOD, SAVE OUR NATION! GOD, LIGHT THE FLAME AGAIN OF CELEBRATION AND WORSHIP OF THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD! GOD, HELP US AGAIN BE A NATION OF DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS!”

H. Ernest Nichol wrote this old, old hymn that ought to be resurrected: “We’ve a story to tell to the nations, That shall turn their hearts to the right, A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace and light…

For the darkness shall turn to the dawning, and the dawning to noonday bright; And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, The kingdom of love and light.

We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, That shall lift their hearts to the Lord, A song that shall conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword.

We’ve a message to give to the nations, That the Lord who reigns up above, Has sent His Son to save us, And show us that God is live.

We’ve a Savior to show to the nations, Who the path of sorrow has trod, That all of the world’s great peoples, Might come to the truth of God.

For the darkness shall turn to the dawning, And the dawning to noonday bright; And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, The kingdom of love and light.”

BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, JULY 11-13, 2018

There’s no doubt if one “lives” in, through, by “The Word of God”, that he/she would be familiar with the fifth book of the New Testament that is referred to by many as the “Acts of the Apostles”, although faithful Bible students truly know that it WAS and IS “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” as the Spirit came at Pentecost to, yes, unveil Christ the Redeemer, Savior, and Lord of the Eternal, Heavenly, Resurrected Life in Christ! Without a doubt, it is one of the most thrilling, demanding, life-changing messages in all the Word of God! It unveils the “blood-bought”, “Christ-Indwelling Disciples”, AND their “mission” under the anointing of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit! And true disciples are told by Christ, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” “Be filled with the Holy Spirit,” “Be guided by the Holy Spirit,” “Be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit”!!

But for many ‘professors of faith’, their service in honor of Christ is a call to “best effort” without any consideration of the need of the Holy Spirit to magnify, honor, or glorify Christ through them – “My best effort is all God asks of me”! Really? Is YOUR ‘faith’ what you hold in yourself as to your ability ‘to do’ whatever Holy God would ask of you? OR, is there “the raising up from spiritual death by the Holy Spirit” what must occur, has occurred, and will occur as loving God seeks to ‘save’ whoever is captive to their old sin natures and separated from Holy God, doing so by Christ’s purchase of men bound and enslaved to their sin natures by shedding His own precious blood FOR “their salvation and deliverance from the bondage of sin and Satan’s ‘hold’ on their lives”, freeing them to be “vessels” or “tabernacles” or “Temples” of His Resurrection Presence?

In Jeremiah 29 there are words from God through Jeremiah unveiling God’s heart not only for “captives” then, but I’m convinced even “captives” now enslaved to their old sin natures and under “satanic’ control! In Verses 11-14a we find a “Thus says the Lord”! “For I know the thoughts that I think toward YOU, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give YOU a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity”! Are YOU “free in Christ” or still bound in ‘flesh-allegiance’, a strong ‘self-will’, or, even worse, ‘bound in Satanic allegiance though unaware YOU allowed him in your life’?

IN Luke 4:16-21 Jesus was rejected at Nazareth, but He still had Eternal Words that had to be shared then and now, The Word saying: So Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written (from Isaiah 61):

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Several questions that each one reading this passage must answer! If Christ Jesus, the Son of God in a human body, necessitated the Holy Spirit’s anointing on His Life of Faith and Obedience, are we, like Jesus, to receive the Holy Spirit in our walk of faith and obedience? (Yet, I would dare say that at least 90% of the Christian community, past, present, and future, have, or will, remain ‘brainless’ about Spirit-Anointed living!).

Beyond ‘Spirit-Anointed Living’, like Christ Jesus, as an eternal necessity, there is the ‘divine unveiling of the necessity of response to the Holy Spirit’s will’! Luke 4:18b tells us, “because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor” – and without hesitation, I’m convinced ‘the poor’ includes but is beyond ‘street beggars’ but includes the vast volumes of life stories poor in God’s intent of the need of ‘lost men’ being reunited to Holy God! And King Jesus was fully aware of the necessity of Holy Spirit “Anointing” in fulfilling God’s call upon one’s earthly walk and journey of “Redeemed Faith Through Holy Spirit Anointing”!!

To be “in Christ” is to live in understanding of our new “eternal calling”, being witnesses of God’s “amazing grace through the blood redemption of the Son of God”, yes, enlightened by the Holy Spirit!

Oh, and then in Luke 4:20b, we read of “eternal enlightment”! “And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were FIXED ON JESUS.” Sadly, there is a ‘world’ surrounding you, even in most churches, whose “eyes” are “FIXED ON EVERYTHING BUT HIM”!!

I personally look upon the Book of Acts as “The Introduction To True Discipleship”, more than likely penned by Luke as a further explanation of his “The Gospel of Luke”! And Acts 1:1-3 is Dr. Luke telling us: “The former account I made, O Theophillus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

Hear me! To have eyes fixed upon Jesus’ resurrection presence is TO SEE AND HEAR AND LEARN OF ‘born-again disciples’ learning of, yes, the reality of Jesus’ ushering in “the kingdom of God in the here and now” AND “new disciples” being enlightened to the reality of extending His kingdom rule, expressing His kingdom love, and proving His kingdom power in touching the needy world with His love, His grace, His mercy, and His power through every new ‘citizen of His Kingdom-rule’!

In Acts 1:6-8 we read, “Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. BUT you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and TO THE END OF THE EARTH.”

But throughout ‘human history’, which has been and still is resistant to the Holy Spirit “guiding us into all truth”, in Romans 1:18-25, the Apostle Paul alerted us saying: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, because what may be clearly known of God is manifest in them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse;

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, WHO EXCHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR ‘THE LIE’, (The Lie? One can ‘sin’ and not die!), and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

In “The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning”, published writings from 1826 to 1844, she had one writing entitled “The Soul’s Travelling” where she introduced it (p.76) saying: “I dwell amid the city, The great humanity which beats Its life along the stony streets, Like a strong unsunned river In a self-made course, is ever Rolling on, rolling on!” Oh, and a few sentences later she wrote about, “The whine of voices that have made Their own grief’s sacredness a trade – The curse that rings hollowly The crime against the misery –“!

Throughout all of human history, Holy God IS honored by some as they “rest” in the finished work of Christ, being guided by the Holy Spirit into all of Christ’s embodiment of Holy Truth! Has the Holy Spirit unfolded in you an understanding of what Christ Jesus was all about in His earthly walk, His faithful ministry, and His historic personal sacrifice “At The Cross”?

In “Unger’s Bible Dictionary”, compiled by Merrill F. Unger and published by Moody Press, (the twentieth printing in 1974!), he defines a “Christian” as follows: “A Christian is a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ the Messiah. This name is more widely employed than any other designation of those who believe unto salvation. However, it occurs in the Sacred Text only three times: “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26); “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost you persuade me to be a Christian’” (Acts 26:28); “If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed” (1 Peter 4:16).

The term Christian is clearly a Gentile designation for believers since the word Christ upon which the term was constructed, suggestions recognition of the Messiah, which no unbelieving Jew was prepared to do. Becoming a Christian, according to the N.T., is a very definite act with significant results. According to Lewis Sperry Chafer, no less than thirty-three simultaneous and instantaneous divine undertakings and transformations, which collectively constitute the salvation of a soul, take place the moment one exercises faith in Christ and is saved.

Among these is that a believer in Christ has the guilt of sins removed. Secondly he is taken out of Adam, the sphere of condemnation, and placed in Christ, the sphere of righteousness and justification. Thirdly, he is given a new standing by virtue of his being placed “in Christ” by the Spirit’s baptizing work (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6:3-4) and “made…acceptable” (Ephesians 1:6). (Chafer continues):

A Christian then, as Chafer says, “Is not one who does certain things for God but…one for whom God has done certain things; he is not so much one who conforms to a certain manner of life as he is one who has received the gift of eternal life; he is not one who depends upon a hopelessly imperfect state but rather one who has reached a perfect standing before God as BEING IN CHRIST.” (This came out of “Systematic Theology”, Vol.7, p.75).

(Question! “If there are “false Christs” professing to be the “new Messiah”, are we to suppose there are “no false Christians”?). AND, in 2 Peter 2:1-3, Peter, inspired by the Spirit, confronts, whether in New Testament historic days or modern-day ‘Christianity’, the reality of the “pretenders” who must be challenged by the Living Truth! He said: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

When what you’ve been reading here, or in the Word of God, begins to “sound out” Biblical Truth, what does one do? Adapt to the ‘majority’ of Biblical followers who know NOTHING of redemptive truth, OR, be ‘sold out’ to full surrender to the Christ and His error free, Living Word?

Several truths to bring this teaching to an eternal, life-blessing fulfillment and completion: 1) THERE IS THE POWERFUL, SPIRITUALLY MAGNETIC, AWESOME PULL OF GOD ON ALL MEN, BEYOND AND ABOVE WHAT HE/SHE DETERMINES FOR ONE’S SELF! I will never forget C.S.Lewis’ statement in his book entitled “Mere Christianity” published by Simon & Shuster in 1996, p.121, “If I find in myself a desire that no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” Could that be the ‘other world’ entitled “the kingdom of God” where Christ Jesus IS Lord over all?

I have no hesitation in saying to you that the “trash” of warped, fleshly, worldly, man-educated minds is not the “Treasure of Truth” that IS Christ the Lord Himself, the True –Redemption- Savior- the Master of the “blood-bought sons and daughters” who have understood, repented, rested in Christ’s “finished work” at the Cross, yes, becoming sons and daughters in the Eternal Family of God, having been transformed out of repentance and faith into “new creations” in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

2) THERE IS THE “AT TIMES” SAD AWARENESS OF MEN’S LIVES WHO ARE, YES, TOTALLY SOLD OUT TO A LIFE-WALK VOID OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE GOD AND SAVIOR AND SPIRIT OF LIVES LIVED IN ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS! How ‘wise’ was Solomon when we read in Proverbs 10:6-9, 22-25, “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall. He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.

Verses 22-25, “the blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS HAS AN EVERLASTING FOUNDATION.” Glory!

Blessed or cursed? Walking securely or walking void of the presence of the God of unending promises? ‘Trying’ or “TRUSTING”? “Tiring through life’s journey or ‘resting’ in His abiding strength and power”? Whirlwind existence but with no Promise of Assurance to see you through your storm?

3) I PRAY THAT “YOU” KNOW THERE IS ETERNAL HOPE FOR THE BLESSED LIFE IN CHRIST AS DAILY THE “New-Born” in Christ TAKES THE SENTENCE OF DEATH DAILY TO THE OLD MAN THAT, YES, DAILY, CHRIST JESUS MAY HAVE HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE ON HIS THRONE IN YOUR HEART, MIND, AND DAILY WILL OF FULL SURRENDER TO HIS LORDSHIP! In Romans 5:9-11 we read, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be (being) saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE RECONCILIATION.” Are YOU “reconciled to God through Christ”, and YOU KNOW IT?

What does Romans 8:1-6 and Verses 9-17 tell us? There is therefore NOW no condemnation TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh BUT (walk) according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Verses 9-17 follows: But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM, THAT WE MAY ALSO BE GLORIFIED TOGETHER.’

4) ONE MORE VITAL POINT OF INTEREST AND CONCERN ABOUT “FAITHFULNESS FOREVER”! Get Ready! Some are going to be shocked by what they are about to read, even angry with God and with anyone who shares “the whole truth and nothing but the truth”! In Hebrews 3:7-19 we read:

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works for forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’

For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Did you hear it and catch the spirit of those who, yes, do “fall away”? THEY DID NOT OBEY, THUS FALLING AWAY THROUGH UNBELIEF!! (PLEASE read carefully Luke 12:35-46, earth-shaking, foundation quaking in many professing lives who live their “faith” in self-awareness, not in and through Christ’s eternal Presence within them, truly their only hope of eternal glory!). (Even 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 Paul the Apostle scared Hell out of a lot of professing believers who lived a compromised ‘faith-journey’, assured they were OK when Hell’s gates had already been opened wide for their entrance!).

I close with an old hymn by Charles Wesley and Lowell Mason entitled “A Charge to Keep”, found in The Broadman Hymnal published in 1940 by Broadman Press, Nashville, Tennessee. It says: “A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify; Who gave His Son my soul to save, And fit it for the sky;

To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill, – O may it all my powers engage To do my Master’s will!

Arm me, Lord, with jealous care, As in Your sight to live; And O, Your servant, Lord, prepare A strict account to give!” Are YOU ready to be examined by your Master as to His will, walk, and ways, being done in you by His Abiding Presence?

By: J.Farrell Fisher, Sept.20-22, 2017

You are aware that in the early days of human existence, physically breathing because of the grace of God, that much of fallen humanity ‘bowed’ before idols of theirs’ and Satan’s manufacturing, because Satan for sure didn’t want to see his ‘captives’ turning to the One True Living God! Yes, Satan in different disguises wanted humanity in his kingdom of darkness, self-worship, and deep depravity! Sadly, across the world there are still many under his dark cloud!

Intellectual ‘geniuses’ are mindful of the mind but oblivious and darkened in the heart, guided by ‘pigs’ ears’! Sadly, most of fallen humanity still lives with the dangerous plague of unbelief and self-deceit, fully confident in themselves to do “as I damn-well please”, deafened to the loving call of God because of a serious plague and sickness of ‘flesh-stubbornness and mindful ignorance’ of the eternal need of Holy God to make the difference in their earthly existence!

They either know and don’t care or know but desire to please ‘flesh’ first, and if they have time, maybe later, they’ll consider the claims of Christ! They resist Paul’s holy word in Romans 6:4, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death (That’s “crucified with Christ!”), that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, EVEN SO we also should walk in newness of life.”

But, enjoying the ‘old man’, even knowing it WAS “crucified with Christ”, unbelieving men and women ‘live’ (?) to ‘enjoy’ the rotten fruits of the ‘dead tree’ of their own hearts! The truth is, some delight in their old sin natures, EVEN fully aware the Word declares, because of Christ’s blood sacrifice, “sin shall not have dominion over you,” (Romans 6:14), with Paul then hitting the “grand slam Of Biblical Truth” in Romans 6:15-18, when he said: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not (May it never be!)! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you ARE that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But GOD BE THANKED that though YOU WERE slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. AND having been SET FREE FROM SIN, you became slaves of righteousness.”

And, if you are a ‘slave of righteousness’ through Christ’s finished work at the Cross and the empty tomb, why would one even ‘think’ that sin in the flesh is still “my option because ‘Jesus understands’”?

The brother of Jesus, James, was inspired to write a very powerful word in James 1:2-8 when he said: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a “DOUBLE-MINDED MAN”, unstable in all his ways.”

Are you aware that a “double-minded man”, unstable in all his ways, professing faith in Christ, will insult the Spirit of grace as they, yes, willfully and rebelliously resurrect the old, crucified remains of the ‘carnal life’, revealing a ‘love affair’ with one’s still ‘independent individuality’ as deserving indulgence in it as often as he/she feels ‘constrained’ to bow before the idol they loved so dearly without God interfering?

Oh, and for those who don’t believe their careless indifference to their “old” sin natures makes a difference in their NOW professed faith, consider what John records about Jesus in John 2:23-25! “Now when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

In Luke 12:41-46 the disciples then learned what awaited wise and unwise followers of Christ or the faithful and evil servant. Jesus said: “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has. BUT if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.” (Check out Jeremiah 34:18-20!). Does that speak of believers forfeiting their salvation in Christ because of a ‘greater love for sin than the Savior’? Did Jesus say ‘the master’ cuts him into and appoints his portion with the unbelievers?

I don’t believe you’ll find anywhere in the Word that if Holy God says, ‘Come to Me and I’ll give you rest’, that that ‘rest’ is relief from trouble, storms, dark clouds or dark moments, even trials, tribulations, or ‘testings’ of our true faith in Christ as our Lord, Savior, and Master of our lives. Christ Jesus WALKED on the stormy seas – He wasn’t exempt from them and neither are you or me!

In Romans 8:35-37 Paul wrote: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And, hear me! The Christ who lives in you lives in you in the fullness of God’s amazing love for Him and for you! And if Christ does live in you by your repentance toward God and your faith in Christ’s finished work at the Cross, and that He lives resurrected right now at the right hand throne of God, He does so interceding in your behalf, releasing His overcoming power and might to strengthen you, sustain you, and empower you to overcome through Him any or all satanic, demonic, worldly forces who’d rather see you dead than “Living in Jesus”! If YOU are “in Christ”, you WILL face trouble on the horizon if it hasn’t already come! Your enemy? The world, your old sin nature, and Satan himself AND his numerous demonic forces!

In Matthew 11:28-30 Christ Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Have YOU ‘taken Christ’s yoke’ upon your life of faith, trust, and obedience to the King of kings and Lord of lords? Sadly, some have substituted Christ’s yoke with ‘church membership’, refuting the necessity of, yes, ‘being bound’ under His Lordship!

It’s really amazing and uplifting to receive and rest in Hebrews 10:12-14 as the Holy Word declares: “But this Man (speaking of Christ Jesus!), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Through Christ’s shed blood Holy God “justifies” us as we repent and turn fully to Him, but the Word declares our “sanctification” as a “being sanctified” process as day by day we take the sentence of death daily to our old sin natures, choosing by His grace, mercy, and love of the Father, to be BLESSED with “being changed” into the likeness and image of our Lord and Savior! And Jesus said, John 16:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds (or “comes out of the Father”!) from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

The necessary question right now to every believer? “Having trusted Christ, are YOU obeying His Word to, yes, all disciples then and now”, John 20:22? Jesus breathed on His disciples, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!”

Earlier, in John 16:7-14, the Lord Jesus clearly explained the necessity of every ‘new-born life’ receiving the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. He said: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. AND when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they do not believe Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

The question of the moment for you? Have YOU received the “faithful guide”, is Christ being “glorified” in you and through you, and is He, the presiding Holy Spirit, daily sustaining and unveiling to you ALL CHRIST JESUS WANTS YOU TO KNOW BY HIS PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT?

In Psalm 143:8-12 David sang another song of entreaty for, yes, the guidance of the Holy Spirit in his life. He said: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.”

Is it, for YOU, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit who glorifies Himself through you, or, have YOU been deceived into a mind-set of “fleshly best” with a ‘demonized attitude’ of your best in place of “crucified with Christ” and “raised to new life” in and through the Holy Spirit? In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul wrote: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” In fact, earlier, in 1 Corinthians 12:3b, Paul said: “…and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit,” explaining in Verses 7-11, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to EACH ONE for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another the gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually AS HE WILLS.” How clear is that to you, and if someone says to you, “If you don’t speak in tongues, you don’t have the Holy Spirit,” just how clear is their deception to you?

I ask YOU: “Is your life in Christ the resident temple-presence of the abiding Holy Spirit?” Yet, how many do you know who are ‘dumb-founded’ by the truth that every disciple in Christ is a tree of life upon which the Holy Spirit manifests the “FRUIT” of the God-head bodily in them?

In 2 Corinthians 13:4-5 read carefully!! “For though He (Christ Jesus) was crucified in weakness, YET He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.” If you are “in Christ”, have you never sensed, been awakened to, or been empowered by the ‘surging wind of Holy Spirit presence and empowerment’ in you? You have “no waves” of strong Holy Spirit presence? It may be time to seek counsel from a truly gift-bearing servant of Christ known by his or her fruits!

In Matthew 7:15-20 the Lord Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. THEREFORE by their fruits you will know them.”

What ‘world’ have you chosen to live in? The world where you “call the shots”, the world that has so attracted your ‘flesh’ that the Holy Spirit is shunned, the world where the ‘worldly man’ is satisfied with satisfying his old sin nature, turning away Christ’s knock at his heart’s door and mind? When the remnants of the old sin nature call, many, professing faith, will run to the door to welcome the world, the flesh, and Satan himself, because they, yes, choose darkness rather than light, this world around them rather than the Kingdom of God, and the enticing ‘friends’ of “Christ-forsaken” rather than choosing to be “the friend of God”!

It was Robert Burns, in his writing “The Cotter’s Saturday Night”, who wrote: “Compared with this (true devotion and Redemptive Faith!), how poor Religion’s pride, In all the pomp of method and of art, When men display to congregations wide, Devotion’s every grace, except the heart!” Does that ring a warning bell in your heart and mind as to ‘who’ really and truly walks with Jesus as Lord, Savior, and Master over their hearts and lives?

The wise man of Proverbs, Proverbs 16:18-19, wrote: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Earlier the wise man wrote in Proverbs 3:34-35, “Surely God scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools.”

Be assured: The scornful, the proud, the unbelieving who resist God’s grace, love, and mercy inherit the ‘shame’ of unbelief and take their place in eternity within the palace walls of Hell itself with Satan and his hosts who reject the amazing love and grace of Holy God! And, yes, there are ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing who come to you to lead you astray in their ‘way’ which is not “The Way” of Christ alone!