The Wise Man

Matthew 7:24-27 KJV
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

I noticed two things as I considered these verses today

First, both the wise and the foolish were subjected to storms.
Building upon the rock does not prevent the storms. It only prevents your house from falling in the storm.

The description of the storm is pretty fierce
Rains descended
Floods came
Winds blew and
Beat upon that house
I know what it feels like to be inside the house while it is taking a beating and it is pretty unsettling.

The Lord never promised absolute ease and comfort. He only promised us that if we built upon the rock, the house would not fall.

Secondly, Jesus told us exactly how to build on the rock. He said we do it by hearing "these sayings of mine" and doing them.

It is that simple. Just listen to the Lord and obey what He says. When you do that you will build your house on the rock that will endure the terrible storms.

In fact, it is so simple that many people just can't do it. They feel like they have to do more than just listen to the Lord and obey.

They must need therapy
They must have to confront something or someone
They must have to fix something

When the storms are raging there are those who find they simply can't stay inside and enjoy their shelter; they feel like they have to flee.

And they are often the ones who are lost.

They feared the Lord and

2 Kings 17:32 KJV
So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

Assyria had defeated Israel and carried the people away captives. However, if they were to maintain their possession of the land they would need to occupy it. The king of Assyria therefore sent people from various other nations under his authority to dwell in the land.

These people superstitiously believed that the difficulties they faced in the land (though no doubt God did make their way rough) were because they did not know how to worship (fear) the local deity. They did not want to convert to the worship of the one true God; they simply wanted to pacify whatever local god was irritated with their presence.

They found a priest who would teach them Israel's ways(vs 28)
There will always be a supposed man of God who is willing to prostitute himself
Either for fear of men
Or else for the gain of money
Or else for the desire of success
Or else for the convenience of living where he wants (this seems to be a part of the case with the priest of vs 28)
They may be able to teach people a kind of worship. They might even be able to develop in people an outward standard that looked much like the real thing. But it is not the real thing.

They began to worship (lip service) the Lord and their own gods(vs 33)
Many of us have a form of fear of the Lord, but we also are still practicing the acceptable manners and customs of our world and those around us.
We come to church and we think like the world
We sing God's songs and we enjoy the music of the world
We read the Word of God and we buy into the philosophies of worldly authorsWe are every bit as worldly as anyone we know who does not go to church and we know it.

They then put their own god's in the Lord's house
(vs 29-31)
At first people make the distinction between the spiritual and the secular, accepting both as having a viable place in their lives, but eventually they will incorporate what is in the world into their so called worship.

And God said they never really worshipped Him at all(vs 34)
And here is the warning we need to heed today;
Even if we feel as if we have appeased the local deity
Even if we feel good about ourselves and the fact that we call ourselves Christians
Even if in our own observation some of the difficulties we had before we learned how to "fear" the local deity
Yet God does not accept any form of worship other than the worship of Him and Him alone.

His Disciples Came Unto Him

Matthew 5:1 KJV
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
My focus today is on the phrase, "His disciples came unto Him."

John Gill says of the word disciple, "The word .... signifies literally a scholar. Those who originally followed Christ, considered him in the light of a Divine teacher; and conscious of their ignorance, and the importance of his teaching, they put themselves under his tuition, that they might be instructed in heavenly things. Having been taught the mysteries of the kingdom of God, they became closely attached to their Divine Master, imitating his life and manners; and recommending his salvation to all the circle of their acquaintance. This is still the characteristic of a genuine disciple of Christ."[1]

Those who are conscious of their ignorance
Those who appreciate His deity
Those who comprehend His salvationCome unto Him.

There may be one who knows mentally that Jesus is the Christ of the Bible. But the one who knows Christ as Saviour and has "put [himself] under His tuition" is an entirely different creature. The disciple comes unto Jesus.

He comes whenever Jesus calls
He comes whenever their is opportunity to hear Jesus speak
He comes wherever Christ may seat Himself
It is legitimate for us to ask ourselves if we are disciples. Are we professors of Christ, or are we followers of Christ?

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

Behold

Matthew 4:11 KJV
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

This is not a new verse to me. What I felt led to consider in my meditations this morning is the word "behold." It is an imperative and means "lo, look, see, pay attention to this." It is no small thing that the angels ministered unto Jesus. Though the Scriptures do not expound upon it, this is not a point to miss.

First, the devil left.
The Bible tells us to resist the devil and he will flee. The word "resist" implies to me some struggle. You don't just say "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus" and he runs. From the Lord's own experience I understand that the devil will attempt multiple attacks.
Still the promise is "resist the devil and he will flee." I choose to believe the Bible.
The method of resisting, if we believe Jesus' example to be effective in our own circumstances, is through the proper and consistent use of the Word of God. We cannot do as Eve did and twist the Bible.
We must be honest with it
We must let it speak for itself and
We must accept it
But it is the Bible that will finally give victory over the devil's temptations

Secondly, it was only after the devil left that the Bible says the angels ministered unto Him.
When we are going through those times of temptation and attack it will feel like we are all alone. It may not feel like you have the support and help and ministry of the Lord and His angels in the midst of the conflict. It is at that moment we must again trust the Bible when it gives us the Lord's promise "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

Finally, the angels did minister unto Him.
The Word of God says
Heb 1:14
Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (KJV)

So they not only minister to Him, they minister to us.

Gill describes this ministry in the following words, "the ministry of angels to, and for them, lies in things temporal and spiritual, or what concern both their bodies and their souls; in things temporal, in which they have often been assisting, as in providing food for their bodies, in curing their diseases, in directing and preserving them in journeys, in saving and delivering them from outward calamities, in restraining things hurtful from hurting them, and in destroying their enemies; in things spiritual, as in making known the mind and will of God to them, in comforting them, and suggesting good things to them, and in helping and assisting them against Satan's temptations; and they are present with their departing souls at death, and carry them to heaven...."[1]

Lord, help me to look for this ministry today.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

Dilatory

2 Kings 12:7 KJV
Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

I learned a new word this morning. Gill accuses the priests here of being "dilatory" which means slow or tardy[1]. There was a job which needed to be done, and there was money with which to do it, but the King did not believe the priests were handling the job with as much urgency as maybe they should have.

The work of God should not be done in haste, but the work of God should be done. There is a need in the things of the Lord both to raise money and organize labor to accomplish things for the Lord's service. Whether it is in
Repairing and expanding the buildings of the Lord or
Working to win souls to Jesus Christ or
Preparing to teach a Sunday school classGod's work deserves our investment. There is no place for "dilatoriness." Slackness, laziness and slothfulness are qualities that would disqualify a man from his position.

I notice that the king even replaced Jehoiada for this "dilatory" handling of the repair work. (He did not remove him from the office of the priesthood, but rather just took from him the responsibility of collecting the finances and repairing the breaches, giving that responsibility to someone else.) Friendships and loyalties might even need to be laid aside so the work of God may go forward.

God deliver us from a dilatory spirit toward the things of God

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

Come to Worship Him

Matthew 2:1-2 KJV
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
I am very glad that the Word of God cannot be worn out. This is a portion of Scripture that is used, re-used and then used again and again. Yet it still has application and bearing and purpose in the life of the believer.

I happen to be reading this Sunday morning. And as I read of wise men who came to worship the Lord I became reminded of many "wise men, women and children" that I would get to see this morning as they come to worship Him too.

They came from the east and they came a long distance.
Some of our folks will drive a considerable distance this morning to worship Him
Most of our folks will be up early to make the preparations to worship Him
Many of our folks will come with gifts to give as they worship Him
Several of them have spoken to others about the Lord this week on their way to Sunday when they will worship Him
The majority of people who will be in church this morning have recognized His "star" or the fact that He is the Saviour and have accepted Him as Saviour and that is the reason they will come to worship Him

Thank the Lord there are still those who will come to worship Him.

Terrible Situations with Wonderful Results

Matthew 1:12 KJV
And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;

This is the very same Zorobabel who was so many years earlier used to help lead the Jews out of Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem. Here the Word of God focuses on the fact that he was born after the captivity. That is an obvious fact, but is singled out for thought in Matthew.

Perhaps it is just to mark that this is when the captivity took place among the generations of Jesus. But I think there is another reason. I think God wanted us to remember that even during that terrible time, God was planning wonderful things. I doubt that Jechonias or Salathiel even dreamed that one of their own would be so instrumentally used of the Lord. Yet God was working things into the future.

The same is true in our lives. Sometimes, when we are going through terrible times, we have great trouble seeing how things could ever work out again. In those times of despair it is very important to lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ, let Him give you rest and peace and simply trust Him that He often turns terrible situations into wonderful results.

I Come Quickly

Revelation 22:7 KJV
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

There are three times in this one chapter that Jesus says "I come quickly;"
Verse 7
Verse 12
Verse 20
I only know one really great application for that statement and that is that Jesus is coming quickly! John Gill's notes say, "....though it will not be sooner than the time appointed, yet will be as soon as that time is come, and sooner than is generally expected by men."[1]

It is a spiritual discipline to train oneself to keep looking for the Lord's return. We do not know the day nor the hour, but we do know it will be quickly.

What a blessed hope!
What a joy to the soul!
What thoughts of rest and peace!

Even so come, Lord Jesus.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

Light things

2 Kings 3:18 KJV
And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

Some of those requests that we think are the most impossible are only a light thing in the sight of the Lord.

I can see the Israelites reasoning that God had delivered them from their enemies before. God had helped them in battle before, besides, a little hard work on their part, with some help of the Lord on the side, could make a battle work out just fine. They had three kings, after all, against only one king. But the water in the wilderness, that is a different story. There was nothing they could do to make water appear. Hard work would only worsen the need for water. This is a very bad situation!

But as bad as it was for men, it was only a light thing in the sight of our God. He not only gave them water, but He used the very miracle that gave the water as the weapon that led to victory against the Moabites.

Our troubles are only light things for God to solve. If only we will rest in Him to work things to His glory.

If I be a man of God

2 Kings 1:10 KJV
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
Barnes' Notes says
"What was Elijah’s motive? And the answer is: Sharply to make a signal example, to vindicate God’s honor in a striking way. ....
Elijah was not Jesus Christ, able to reconcile mercy with truth, the vindication of God’s honor with the utmost tenderness for erring men, and awe them merely by His presence (compare John18:6). In Elijah the spirit of the Law was embodied in its full severity. His zeal was fierce; he was not shocked by blood; he had no softness and no relenting."

It goes on further down to say, "No true Christian after Pentecost would have done what Elijah did. But what he did, when he did it, was not sinful."[1]

I am reminded that James and John wanted to call fire from heaven and were rebuked for it.

Still there is such a need today for a "signal example, to vindicate God's honor in a striking way." Christianity is so diverse. We have everything from the liberal type of churches to arguments among Independent Baptists concerning what is right and true preaching.

I know that even in the Old Testament there were those disputers of the truth.

I also know that God did not destroy everyone who preached His message wrong.

But we do find in the Word of God occasions like this in the Word of God where the Lord sets the standard strait for us once again. We are able to get our spiritual bearings and remember once again where the truth lies.

O Lord, we need that once again. We need something that wipes away the confusion in the eyes of men. We need a "signal example" that sets men on the right course once again.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

Mercy is not always the answer

1 Kings 20:31 KJV
And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

1 Kings 20:32 KJV
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
1 Kings 20:42-43 KJV
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

Now here is an interesting less and one that I know must be taken in balance and with the right heart. The Bible says that the testimony of the kings of Israel was (and remember; these kings of Israel were not godly men) that they were merciful kings. Benhadad, a man who had been judged of the Lord and sentenced, was spared by the mercy of Ahab.

Almost at once God's prophet came to Ahab to pronounce judgment upon him for not executing the will of the Lord. The prophet says it thus, "...they life for his life..."

I wonder how often we suffer judgment and troubles in this life because we chose to be kind
When we should have taken a stand for the truth.
When we were too timid to rebuke a wrong
When we did not want to offend so we said nothing

It is a grand thing to be merciful and the Word of God says our God's mercies are "new every morning." But that has to be kept into context. God is also unbending concerning sin righteousness and judgment. We would do well to remember that

Come Out

Revelation 18:4 KJV
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The other voice that is here referred to is likely the voice of God Himself since He uses the term "my people." So while the angel is crying out concerning the destruction of the city, God is calling out for the protection of His own people. The destruction is inevitable and must happen. God had ordained that this angel pronounce the judgment. Yet God's heart is still for His people.

This passage speaks specifically about a time in the future when the great city of Babylon is destroyed in the Tribulation. However the principle is not only Tribulational. God's people are to be separate and unique from this world. In fact, God's main thrust today is to call out of this world a people who will be His own. It would not be wrong to say that every soul that gets saved has heard the Lord say, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

I wonder, though, how often we who are saved forget that God wants us to come out of the world?

Called, Chosen and Faithful

Revelation 17:14 KJV
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
At the battle of Armageddon, when the Lord returns to establish His kingdom, the Bible says they that are with Him are
Called
Chosen and
Faithful

Those who are with Him are the believers who have died and gone to heaven before this. They are, if I may, Christians....you and me.

The Bible gives them three adjectives to describe them.
They are called
The word means invited or appointed. It also applies to the saint.

The Lord's main concern today is to call out a bride for the Lord Jesus Christ. He is seeking and saving the lost.

They are chosen
This word means favorite or select.

What I like about this is that every one of the ones with Him are chosen and favorite. I think that is how the Lord looks at every child of God. We are all His favorites. Just as a parent loves every one of his children with the very same intensity, though every child is different, the Lord loves every one of His own as if that one were the only one.

They are faithful
This word means trustworthy.

It strikes me that the only one of the three that I have any real influence over is this one. I cannot invite myself, I must be invited. I cannot choose myself, I must be chosen. But if I am faithful it is because I chose to be faithful.

God, hast thou also brought evil ...?

1 Kings 17:20 KJV
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

Elijah has quite a question of the Lord.
After God had brought the prophet to be cared for by this widow and her son
After God had performed so miraculously in meeting their material needs during this drought and famine
After this woman and her son had so faithfully followed the Lord's plan for their livesIs it really possible that God would bring this evil upon the widow?

It seems to me that the answer is "No." And it seems to me that is the answer because God restored the son's life back to him.

What I think is revealed here is how Satan will attack a godly family in their weakest area. Oftentimes when a family does what is right it will be the children who come under attack. Satan knows who he is most likely to devour.

And the encouragement to me here is that, though Satan attacked, he did not gain his objective. God heard the prayer of Elijah and God restored the son's life.

We live in a wicked world and we will not help but face attacks. But we can be sure that our Saviour is there to bless and protect and that he will do as much if we will but ask.

His works and His ways

Revelation 15:3 KJV
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
What a majestic phrase, "Great and marvellous are thy works.... just and true are thy ways..."

Great; big. High, loud large
Marvellous; wonderful, incredible

Just; holy, right
True; real genuine; nothing concealed

Works; a deed or act
Ways; path or journey

I the works of this passage as being "what God does" and the ways of this passage as being "why God does it." There is the deed done and there is the motivation for doing it.

The things God does and the direction He travels is alike great, marvelous, just and true.

It is important, I think, to see who it is who is saying this of the Lord. These are those who took a stand as they refused to
Obey the beast,
Worship his image or
Take his mark and number
They are already in heaven even though the Tribulation is not finished which implies that their stand cost them their lives. I am only imagining now but
I imagine some of them might have starved to death because they could not buy and sell after refusing to accept the mark.
I imagine in this number are those who watched their children and other loved ones weep violently as they saw this one go to the gallows or the chopping block.
I imagine in this crowd is someone who was forced to watch as one of their own loved ones was slain for the very same convictions they had.

In this crowd is
A mother
A father
A son
A daughter
A husband and
A wifeWho became estranged from their family when they took their stand for Christ and the family member would not.

These are people who knew intense hardship as well as heartache on the earth.

And yet in heaven they sang this song saying, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

I suggest if they can sing it in heaven we ought to sing it on earth today.

But He Lied

1 Kings 13:18 KJV
He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

Albert Barnes makes an interesting statement here, "It is always to be remembered that the prophetic gift might co-exist with various degrees of moral imperfection in the person possessing it. Note especially the case of Balaam."[1]

Over the years I have witnessed several men who were obviously talented so far as the ministry is concerned only to discover that they were involved in things that are immoral. It seems like the two cannot mix, but Barnes points out that sometimes they do. King Saul would be another such case.

As I have meditated upon this today I am struck with the fact that each of us is responsible to open the Word of God and find out what it says for ourselves. God does place in our lives men of God; a pastor, an evangelist, a missionary, or a godly church member whose spiritual counsel and advice we ought to heed. But at the same time, we are responsible to check in the Word of God and make sure that our man of God is telling us what the Word of God says.

It is not right to dismiss the man of God's message just because we do not like it. Jeroboam's arm withered when his anger was pointed toward the man of God. This is not permission to ignore the preacher just because we don't like his message. On the other hand, neither can we claim innocence if we should follow the Word of a professed man of God without our own study of the Bible to insure that his message is from the Lord.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

Spoiled Opportunity

1 Kings 11:38 KJV
And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

I see in Jeroboam a picture similar to that of the Gentiles. God's chosen kingdom was through the family of David and Solomon, the Jews. However, because of sins in Solomon's life, God offered a wonderful opportunity to Jeroboam, a mere servant. If he would obey the Lord in the way that Solomon had not, then he could have the very promise God had made to David and Solomon. This is just what God did for the Gentiles. Though the Jews are His chosen people, because of their unbelief God opened the door of opportunity to the Gentiles to become children of God. The promise to the Gentiles is one of great grace and mercy.
It is not deserved.
It is despite the fact that the Gentiles had never followed the Lord and
It is only because the Jews did not obey the Lord as they should have

What a blessing!

But the warning in the text stems from the fact that Jeroboam did not obey the Lord as God instructed. He let jealousy and desire to control block his judgment so that he rebelled against the very God who had promised him such grace and he lost the promise for himself and his posterity.

God is so gracious and kind to us. But that is no reason to assume such graciousness will continue indefinitely. God seeks Christians who will be faithful to Him.

May we be those Christians.

Judge Thy Servants

1 Kings 8:32 KJV
Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
Solomon's prayer is offered in consideration of his people, the Jews. But I want to echo the same prayer today. Those things Solomon prayed for in verses 29-40 are still prayers that need answers today. And we need the answers for the very same reasons that Solomon said they needed them,
1 Kings 8:40 KJV
That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
The faith of the fathers seems to be dwindling in power. It seems like fewer and fewer are willing to follow the Lord in a Christ-like way. Worldliness has so invaded Christianity that those who look to be the godliest must be a grief to the Lord when considered next to the likes of men like Apostle Paul.

I am so grateful for the mercy and longsuffering of our Saviour. It has spared me more often than I can imagine. However, there must come a time of judgment and condemnation for wrong. When Christians can be as worldly and as wicked as we are there must be condemnation of the wicked and justification of the righteous for the sake of the name of the Lord among men. We will likely lead fewer and fewer to Christ until there is a sense of the fear of God among men again.

So Lord, "Hear thou in heaven and do and judge thy servants..."

Ever a Lover

1 Kings 5:1 KJV
And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

Over the last several weeks of reading the life of King David I have been impressed with the fact that there is an undercurrent of rebellion throughout the entire reign. David, though blessed of God and used of the Lord, never had peace. Even Solomon admitted that David had "....wars which were about him on every side...." (vs 3.) You have to wonder what kind of pressure David experienced because of all these wars and troubles.

Yet David had some great friends. Besides the strength he must have gained from his relationship with Almighty God, David had some loyal followers represented by the 33 mighty men of David. And David had at least this one great friend; Hiram, a king of a different nation, who was "ever a lover of David."

Few things console us as much as this type of friend. And may our Lord allow us to be for someone just such a friend.

The Way of All the Earth

1 Kings 2:2 KJV
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

It doesn't matter who we are;
Rich or poor
Powerful or pauper
Healthy or sickly
Famous or unknown
We will all "go the way of all the earth" which is through the grave. Death is an inescapable fact for all but that blessed generation who will enter into heaven through the rapture. Some people live many years before they face death. Others face it early on in life. Some people die peacefully and painlessly. Others suffer terribly on their way. But none escape the way of all the earth.

And this one fact ought to cause the child of God to focus his life on something far greater than himself. There are souls that are lost and there are people who need comforting and guidance so that, when they go this way, they may do it with the assurance that Christ will be there to meet them.

He Heareth

Proverbs 15:29 KJV
The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Heareth; to hear intelligently, to give attention to
Prayer; intercession, supplication, especially ones set to music
Righteous; just, lawful.

John Gill says, "...there is none like them that has God so nigh them as they have; his eyes are upon them, and his ears are open to their cries; he is a God hearing and answering their prayers, and bestows upon them the favours they ask for, and stand in need of."[1]

There are days in one's life when words such as these become so much more important to us; days when we feel we must have the ear of God.

In days such as those a person needs to know that things are right between him and his God so that he can know God hears his prayers. It reminds me that every day I need to seek the Lord. Every day I need to walk with him so that when the day comes when I have to have his ear, it is no stretch to have it.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

...he moved David...

2 Samuel 24:1 KJV
And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
I selected this passage today just because I did not know how to reconcile it. I could not imagine that God would move David to number Israel and at the same time call David's numbering of them a sin.

The answer is found by simply comparing Scripture with Scripture. 2 Chronicles 21:1 is a parallel passage and says that Satan provoked David to do the numbering.

Yet God knew it and used it to bring judgment against Israel (not Judah; the pestilence stopped before if got to Jerusalem). When you read David's story you learn that there was always an undercurrent of rebellion with Israel against David. God used David's error in a similar way as God used Joseph's brothers, or Nebuchadnezzar, to bring about God's will.

Lessons:
First, Oh the sin of rebellion! Israel never did get over it and they suffered heavily because of it.

Second, even the best men can be provoked by Satan. Joab tried to warn David, but his eyes were blinded. We must be sober and vigilant. Satan is out to devour us.

Third, we can trust the Lord. While we might not always understand what He is doing, He will make things work out right.

Sealed

Revelation 7:3 KJV
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Adam Clarke makes this comment, “By sealing we are to understand consecrating the persons in a more especial manner to God, and showing, by this mark of God upon them, that they were under his more immediate protection, and that nothing should hurt them. It was a custom in the east, and indeed in the west too, to stamp with a hot iron the name of the owner upon the forehead or shoulder of his slave.
It is worthy of remark that not one Christian perished in the siege of Jerusalem; all had left the city, and escaped to Pella. This I have often had occasion to notice."[1]

I was reminded that the Word of God says of the Christian
Eph 1:13-14
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (KJV)

And
Eph 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (KJV)

And
2 Cor 1:22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (KJV)

So while the passage in Revelation has to do with Jewish evangelists in the Tribulation, there is a similar sealing that belongs to the Christian in our day.

There is much hurt being done in this world today.
Sin is rampant and rising.
The faith is being washed out by heresies of every sort
Wicked religions are rising in prominence among those with political and world influence

But the Christian still has this claim. He can still pray for sealing and protection in the midst of it all.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

Even So

Revelation 4:11 KJV
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Though the crescendo of the passage is obviously this, Chapter 4 is an altogether sublime text.

Most students of the Bible consider this to be representative of the rapture. John had his eyes on the things of the Lord when suddenly there was the voice calling "come up hither" and immediately he was in the spirit.

What a wonderful day that is going to be when we drop these rags of worldliness called the body and we are transported to the glories of heaven.

I think the thing that struck me the most today is that there is nothing to dread of fear in the text. John's journey to glory is only wondrous. We tend to fear the unknown and passing into glory certainly has some huge unknowns. But the Word of God gives us several indicators that this journey is a glorious one.

Even so Lord Jesus, please come quickly.

Revival in Laodicea

Revelation 3:18 KJV
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
The church at Laodicea was surely a mess. But the blessing of the passage is that there is as much opportunity for repentance and revival there as in any of the churches Jesus addressed. Jesus gave them three actions toward revival.

Lay up treasures in heaven
Redeem the things that this world has and count them but loss for the things that you can lay up in glory instead. Too much of today's Christian culture is geared toward success and riches and in this life. There is in us the idea that if we are successful Christians today we must have success awaiting us in heaven. We are poor (in eternal things) and do not know it.

Pursue white raiment
Most think this to mean purity and holiness. Nothing in this world is so valuable as to be worth losing holiness with God for. When we must fudge a little in godliness and purity and righteousness to obtain what we desire of this world we have paid too high a price. Rather be poor in this world and blind in this world and naked in this world's things if through that we might wear the white raiment of purity.

Take care of your spiritual eyes.
There is an entire world of spiritual life going on that we are unable to see. Angels and principalities operate invisibly around us at all times. Like we can't see those angels and their activities, we are prone to be blind to other spiritual things. The lost man is blind to the saving truth of the Gospel. The worldly man is blind to the heavenly riches he is forsaking. And the Christian's spiritual eyesight is constantly in danger of being compromised by the lures of this world. Care must be taken to improve our spiritual eyesight through the graces of Jesus Christ.

In all three the word buy seems important. The word means to go to market. In other words this gold tried in the fire, this white raiment and this eye salve will not come to us accidentally. We are going to have to apply means. We are going to have to put on our shoes and exercise ourselves in order to have them. They cannot be purchased in our own merits. They must come to us through the grace of Christ. But neither will they come if we will not seek them.

God is greater

1 John 3:20 KJV
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Albert Barnes Notes says of this, "...We cannot hope to find peace by hiding anything from [God's] view, or by any supposition that he is not acquainted with the sins for which our consciences trouble us. He knows all the sins of which we are conscious, and sees all their guilt and aggravation as clearly as we do. He knows more than this. He knows all the sins which we have forgotten; all those acts which we endeavor to persuade ourselves are not sinful, but which are evil in his sight; and all those aggravations attending our sins which it is impossible for us fully and distinctly to conceive."

He goes on to say, "...He is more disposed to condemn sin than we are; he looks on it with less allowance than we do. We cannot hope, then, for a calm mind in any supposition that God does not see our sins as clearly as we do, or in any hope that he will look on them with more favor and indulgence...."[1]

We are too quick to excuse, dismiss and indulge sin in our lives. We are too easy on ourselves and we deceive ourselves if we believe that God will be easy on us as well.

Thank God for His grace! Thank God His mercies are new every morning! But His grace and mercy in no way permit us to continue in sin. It is time for us to fess up and make things right with God.

And praise God when we do, we are completely forgiven and cleansed.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

Them That Seduce

1 John 2:26 KJV
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
Here is a simple warning that we who are the children of God need to consider more. There are those:

• Who would seduce us
• Who would turn us away from the truth
• Who would lead us into their own pernicious ways

Not everything that appears to be of the Lord is.

• Those that seduce would lead us into darkness (vs 9-10)
• Those that seduce would lead us to disobey God's commandments (vs 4)
• Those that seduce would cause us to hate the brethren (vs 9-11)
• Those that seduce would get us to love the things of the world (vs 15-17)
• Those that seduce deny Jesus' rightful place in our lives (vs 22-24)
• Those that seduce are liars (vs 4; 21-22)

We must not be naive concerning this seduction.

Satan may be subtle in our day but he is no less dangerous. It is a blessing to know that no true Christian can be completely seduced, but as John Gill says, "...not that they were actually seduced and carried away with the error of the wicked; for though God's elect may be staggered and waver, and be tossed to and fro by false teachers, and their doctrines, yet they cannot be totally and finally deceived..."[1]

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)

When God Becomes Thine Enemy

1 Samuel 28:16 KJV
Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

The theology of the Old Testament and the New Testament is different enough that it would be unwise to make too strong of applications of this passage to life today.

First, it is questionable if Saul could be considered "saved." He was selected to be the king against the protests of the prophet. It was not the will of God for Israel to have a king; at least not at this time. Saul was

• Almost immediately disobedient to the Lord
• Plagued by an unclean spirit and
• Bent on jealousy

Hardly the testimony of a godly man.

Even our text today has him before a witch; so desperate was he to have his way that he was willing to go that far in finding the information he wanted.

But still, the Bible does say that God gave him a new heart. So it is not unwise for a Christian to pay some heed to this man's character lest we mimic it.

• A Christian can never lose his salvation
• The Holy Spirit will never depart from a child of God
• The believer can never be separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus

But

• The Bible does say God chastens His children and
• The Bible does say there is a sin unto death
• Friendship with this world is enmity with God

Here is my point. I never want to be in a position where the Lord is on the other side. I want to diligently guard my walk and examine it so I stay on the Lord's side of things.

What a terrible place, "…the Lord is departed from thee and become thine enemy."

Hastening..the day of God

2 Peter 3:12 KJV
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
John Gill's commentary says, “...the coming" of this day saints should be "looking for" by faith; believing that it certainly will come, since the patriarchs, prophets, Christ himself, the angels of heaven, and the apostles of the Lamb, have all declared and asserted the coming of this day; and they should look for it, and love it, as with the strongest affection for it..."

Albert Barnes Notes says concerning the term hasting, ".....The state of mind which is indicated by the word is that when we are anxiously desirous that anything should occur, and when we would hasten or accelerate it if we could. The true Christian does not dread the coming of that day. He looks forward to it as the period of his redemption and would welcome, at any time, the return of his Lord and Saviour. While he is willing to wait as long as it shall please God for the advent of His Redeemer, yet to Him the brightest prospect in the future is that hour when he shall come to take him to Himself."

I love that phrase, "... to him the brightest prospect in the future is that hour when He shall come..." O how the Lord has taught me in these last many days to eagerly await His coming.

Even so come quickly.

Heresies

2 Peter 2:2 KJV
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
If we consider heresies as Strong’s defines it, "a choice that leads to disunion" then a heresy isn't always something that is doctrinal. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines a heretic as, “a person....who holds opinions repugnant to the established faith...."

These types of heresies might be the more dangerous because they are not necessarily attacks against doctrines like the deity of Christ, but maybe diversions from the traditions we believe we have received from Paul. Issues of lesser doctrinal importance can be nonetheless repugnant to those who strive to walk closely to the Lord, yet the compromises would likely be popular with those who like their faith a little more watered down, more palatable, more agreeable to a worldly sort of Christianity. That may be why, "...many shall follow their pernicious ways."

The shame of it is that the way of truth is evil spoken of because of these heresies. Mind you, the Bible does not rest the blame on those who plant their feet and refuse to budge on the truth, but on both the false teachers, who stray from those established positions of the faith, and their many followers.

The answer then is not to back off truth lest it be evil spoken of, but stay firm on what is truth.

• There will always be heresies
• There will always be a larger crowd willing to follow them than truth
• There will always be those who find reason to speak evil against the truth

Let there always be some who will stand fast in the truth.

In This Tabernacle

2 Peter 1:13 KJV
Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
None of us know how long we will be "in this tabernacle." Though Peter was in a position which led him to believe his life on this planet would soon be taken from him, none of us know for sure we have tomorrow. My son, Caleb, witnessed to a man just a few months ago who said that he was only 25 and had years before he needed to concern himself with eternal things. He was at work just last week when a dump truck driver had a heart attack and ran over the young man, killing him. So while we are "in this tabernacle" we need to make every moment count.

Peter said that for him, he felt like the best thing he could do with his time "in this tabernacle" was to put men and women in remembrance of spiritual truths so that when he "put off this ... tabernacle" they would still remember those spiritual truths he gave them.

As a Christian the best way I may use my time is to go over and over the things in the Word of God with those God has given me influence over so that, even after I am no longer present to influence, the truths will forever stay with them.

The Chief Shepherd Shall Appear

1 Peter 5:4 KJV
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Over and over again in the Bible the appearing of Jesus Christ is the end for which a Christian is to look. This may be one of the most difficult of the spiritual disciplines; to live in view of Christ's return. Sure we say we believe that Christ could come back for us at any moment, but how often do our actions prove a life lived with that in view.

• When Jesus comes the suffering we have experienced for Christ will be nothing
• When Jesus comes the investments we have made in eternal things will be huge
• When Jesus comes, the souls of those we have been blessed to see trust Christ will be the most important thing to us
• When Jesus comes we will be exceedingly glad

The chief Shepherd shall appear.

He did not come yesterday. He may not appear today. But He shall appear. And I want to know when he does appear that I am looking.

Partakers

1 Peter 4:13 KJV
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Barnes, "That is, sufferings of the same kind that he endured, and inflicted for the same reasons."[1]

We often find that we suffering a kind similar to how Christ suffered. I tried to consider the types of sufferings common to both Christ and Christians I have known:

• Mocking
• Attempts to catch in words (twisting words)
• Conspire with others about
• Whisper against
• Attempts to turn followers against
• Betrayal

Then I tried to consider the reasons for this suffering that would be common to Christ and Christians I have known:

• What we believe
• What we have preached
• The consequences of what we believe (how it changes our lives) and their not wanting to be changed

One cannot help but see though that our duty is not to wallow in pity for the sufferings but rather to rejoice as partakers with Christ.

The reason we can rejoice in the midst of the suffering is that it reminds us that we will also be partakers of His glory when He is comes again.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

Ye Are Thereunto Called

1 Peter 3:8-9 KJV
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Barnes, "...Expecting such a blessing yourselves, you should be ready to scatter blessings on all others. You should be ready to bear all their reproaches, and even to wish them well. The hope of eternal life should make your minds calm; and the prospect that you are to be so exalted in heaven should fill your hearts with benignity and love.” There is nothing which is better suited to cause our hearts to overflow with benignity, to make us ready to forgive all others when they injure us, than the hope of salvation. Cherishing such a hope ourselves, we cannot but wish that all others may share it, and this will lead us to wish for them every blessing, A man who has a hope of heaven should abound in every virtue. and show that he is a sincere well-wisher of the race. Why should one who expects soon to be in heaven harbor malice in his bosom? Why should he wish to injure a fellow-worm?..."[1]

A person has to call into suspect the kind of Christianity we have today that does not view salvation so highly as this. That a man would imply that salvation is such a wonderful blessing that a Christian could not help but wish everyone had it only tells me that many if not most in our day do not have that type of salvation.

There is too much hurting going on in the family of God today.

• Too much strife
• Too much in fighting
• Too much seeking for self

May God grant us a new awareness of the value of salvation so we see it as above anything in this world and could only wish good upon others.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

He is Precious

1 Peter 2:7 KJV
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner
My thoughts went to this one sentiment in the text, "He is precious."

• He is a treasure
• He is of great value
• He is the most wonderful owned by the saint of God.

Barnes has a lengthy but worthy piece on this sentiment, "He is precious - ...The apostle … was stating the estimate which was put on him by those who believe, as contrasted with the view taken of him by the world. … while the Lord Jesus is rejected by the great mass of people, he is regarded by all Christians as of inestimable value:
I. Of the fact there can be no doubt. Somehow, Christians perceive a value in him which is seen in nothing else. This is evinced:
(a) in their avowed estimate of him as their best friend;
(b) in their being willing so far to honor him as to commit to him the keeping of their souls, resting the whole question of their salvation upon him alone;
(c) in their readiness to keep his commands, and to serve him, while the mass of people disobey him; and,
(d) in their being willing to die for him.
II. The reasons why He is so precious to them are such as these:
(1) They are brought into a condition where they can appreciate his worth. To see the value of food, we must be hungry; of clothing, we must be exposed to the winter’s blast; … So, to see the value of the Saviour, we must see that we are poor, helpless, dying sinners; that the soul is of inestimable worth; that we have no merit of our own; and that unless someone interpose, we must perish. Everyone who becomes a true Christian is brought to this condition; and in this state he can appreciate the worth of the Saviour. …
(2) the Lord Jesus is in fact of more value to them than any other benefactor. …What He has done pertains to our welfare to all eternity; it is the fruit of the sacrifice of his own life. How precious should the name and memory of one be who has laid down his own life to save us!
(3) we owe all our hopes of heaven to him; and in proportion to the value of such a hope, he is precious to us. …
(4) there is an intrinsic value and excellency in the character of Christ, apart from his relation to us, which makes him precious to those who can appreciate his worth. In his character, abstractedly considered, there was more to attract, to interest, to love, than in that of any other one who ever lived in our world. There was more purity, more benevolence, more that was great in trying circumstances, more that was generous and self-denying, more that resembled God, than in any other one who ever appeared on earth. In the moral firmament, the character of Christ sustains a pre-eminence above all others who have lived, as great as the glory of the sun is superior to the feeble lights, though so numerous, which glimmer at midnight….”[1]

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

For a Season

1 Peter 1:6 KJV
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
Gill, "...the character of the saints in this world is, that they are as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, 2Co_6:10 ... the cause of this heaviness is not only indwelling corruptions, the hidings of God's face, and the temptations of Satan, but afflictions and persecutions, which are here meant by "manifold temptations"; for not the temptations or to sin, are here intended, but the temptations with which God tempts and tries his people: so he sometimes does, by calling them to hard service, to do things difficult and disagreeable to flesh and blood..."[1]

Clarke, "...Sometimes there is a kind of necessity that the followers of God should be afflicted; when they have no trials they are apt to get careless, and when they have secular prosperity they are likely to become worldly-minded. “God,” said a good man, “can neither trust me with health nor money; therefore I am both poor and afflicted.” [2]

We may miss out on more of the quality of faith than we really know when we are blessed to live without the mixture of sorrow and rejoicing. I fear too much rejoicing is done in America and too little sorrowing.

Nevertheless in those times of heaviness through manifold temptations it is a source of blessing to know they are "for a season." Cycles of life continue on and those times of heaviness we know do not last long. Just as there is the heaviness now, there will come a time of uplifting soon enough.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)
[2] E-Sword 7.7.7, Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

Turn Not Aside

1 Samuel 12:20 KJV
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

Though Israel had sinned in asking them a king instead of letting the Lord be their king, and though God had shown himself and sent thunder and rain that day, yet this was no reason to turn away from the Lord. God would not forsake them if they would not turn aside.

How often do we, when we realize we have done wrong, in self-pity do worse?

The flesh once bent on self-destruction goes from one bad choice to another. The answer to breaking the cycle is just this, turn not aside from following the Lord. Though we have sinned and done wickedly, still, serve Him will all our hearts.

God will bless such a decision, though we did wrong at the start.

Draw Nigh

James 4:8 KJV
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Someone told me the other day that nigh is nearer than near. God says "draw nigh." This is an action we can take. There are a dozen things I can't do.

• I can't change the course of the world
• I can't change the minds of others
• I can't make my neighbor love me

But I can draw night to God.

• I can approach Him
• I can lean upon Him
• I can believe His Word and
• I can give Him worship

And the Bible says when I do that, God will draw night to me. How I need that today!

Perhaps the passage gives us the two keys to drawing night to God:
First, cleanse our hands of sin.
Ask His forgiveness and turn from the sin

Second, purify our double-minded hearts.
JFB says it means, "...divided between God and the world.”
I have to make a clean stand for the Lord and that, against the world.

Eben-ezer

1 Samuel 7:12 KJV
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

The Lord helped them in that:

• He heard Samuel's cries (vs 9)
• He thundered against the Philistines (vs 10) and
• He enabled Israel to "discomfit" them (vs 10)

After 20 years of lamenting after the Lord (vs 2) God did wonderful things for Israel and helped them defeat the Philistines and restore their cities and regain their land from them.

Oftentimes when in the darkest hour, we cry out to the Lord, our help will come. Israel had not heard from the Lord in so long, and when they did gather to seek him, the enemy became stirred. But this time God heard and this time God helped.

• It may seem like God does not hear today
• It may feel like we would not deserve His help
• It might seem like the enemies of our soul are just that much more furious against us when we want to seek the Lord

But you never know....this time might be the time when the Lord will hear and thunder and help.

Please Forgive Me While I Am Away

My wife and I will be out of town for a week and I will be away from access to the internet for the whole week. Please forgive me this and expect me back in about 9 days.

To Do Thy Will

Hebrews 10:7 KJV
Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Clark says, "... God willed not the sacrifices under the law, but he willed that a human victim of infinite merit should be offered for the redemption of mankind."[1]

For Christ, doing the will of God meant, raised in a poor home, having His stepfather die while Christ was still a boy, having no place to lay His head, enduring the trials of people refusing to heed His message, facing nearly three years of plots against His life, having one of His closest friends betray Him, facing the cross to die

But it was worth it

• He rose again
• He paid the only price sufficient to save lost souls
• He has changed the course of the world
• He put away the corruptible commandment and established a new one from God
• He sits today at the right hand of the Heavenly Father

All who call upon Him will rule and reign with Him in eternity.

[1] E-Sword 7.7.7, Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

Avoiding Conquest

Judges 18:7 KJV
Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

The people of Laish were Canaanites and marked for conquering by the Lord so it is acceptable within the context of God's plan for the Promised Land that the Danites would take them in this fashion.

What I found instructive for my own life though was to see what made them a target at this point. The Danites had sent out men to spy out the land and find the most desirable city to take. They selected this one for the reasons listed in verse 7. I see in the list four areas that make us vulnerable of conquest if not cared for;

They dwelt carelessly
Too many in our world live without a care concerning potential threats, especially the threat of eternal damnation. The lost man lives oblivious to the fact that he is racing headlong to hell. Sometimes a Christian will get so caught in the present world that he loses sight of the fact that he has not laid up treasures in heaven.
Then to a Christian can live carelessly concerning Satan, forgetting him as a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour.
We are told to be sober and vigilant if we would guard against conquest.

They had no magistrate
We all must have leadership in our lives. Without it we are like sheep having no shepherd and like the Jews of the days of Judges; when there was no leadership every man did what was right in his own eyes.
In our day God has provided us with spiritual leadership through our church and its pastor. What a mistake it is to suppose we do not need to heed the leadership

They had no accountability
There was no one to "put them to shame." No discipline. Without discipline the best of intentions will go unfulfilled.

They had no support
Since they were so far from the Zidonians and since they would not do business with any others, they were left there alone. No human being can do well without a strong network of support. Let our excuses be thrown aside, we must get ourselves to the house of God where we can meet Christians who are strong in the faith and be lifted up in the things of the Lord.

• We are busy with life
• We do require times of rest and peace

But we must not neglect our need of a strong community of Christians around us.

Other Times Before

Judges 16:20 KJV
And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

It struck me as I read this familiar passage again, how Samson kept doing the same dumb thing over and over again. The first several times he told Delilah how to take his strength from him he was able to do it without any lost benefits. But there finally came the day when he had told her what she really needed to hear and the Lord had departed.

How could Samson not have known the Lord was departed?

• Perhaps he had assumed the strength really was his own
• Perhaps he had grown so accustomed to getting his way that he thought even the Lord would not deny him his wishes
• Perhaps He did not believe that his strength came from the Nazarite vow his parents had raised him in.

We see it all the time today. A person gives in to sin the first time, with no apparent consequence; the second time and the third time he appears to have gotten away with it. Over and over again he makes choices contrary to the Word of God and the things his parents taught him. But there comes the day when the protection of the Lord is in fact gone.

We must be very careful not to mistake the grace of the Lord for the blessing of the Lord. The fact that we get away with something does not mean it is right and there will come a day when God's grace ends. When that day comes, the price may be far greater than we could ever have imagined.

The Power of An Endless Life

Hebrews 7:16 KJV
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
What a wonderful thing it is to know that our priest, the one who ministers before the Lord on our behalf has the power of an endless life.

Because of that;
The ministry never changes (vs 24)
Whenever there is a pastoral change in a church there is always some sort of change in the direction or in the personality of the church. No two men are exactly the same so no two men could possibly pastor the church identically.
But our priest, Jesus Christ, has an endless life. His ministry on our behalf is unchangeable. It is constant, secure, and predictable.

He is able to save to the utter most (vs 25)
The story is told of a boy throwing starfish back into the ocean after a storm had washed them ashore. A man came by and taunted the boy, "Don't you know you can't save them all?" The boy grabbed a starfish, threw him in the water and said, "I could save that one." Jesus Christ is not so limited. He not only saves a few, He saves all who come to Him.
He saves those who come to Him completely. When Peter's wife's mother was sick Jesus restored her so completely she got up and began serving. When He saves us, it is not just so we can go to heaven, but barely; it is so we can serve Him until the day we go to heaven.

He is able to make endless intercession for us (vs 25)
When I was in Bible College this truth came up over and over in class. It came up often enough that, to be truthful, I started to get a little perturbed at the school for it. "Give me something I don't know!"
But then came the day my wife found out she was losing our second baby. I went to the Lord in prayer and among the first things that came to mind was that Jesus "ever liveth to make intercession for them." All of a sudden this was more than a theological truth, it was a practical fact and it lifted my soul into heavenly plains. What a blessing it is to know that Jesus Christ is right now making intercession for us.

Praise the Lord for a priest whose office is not through a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life.

Immutability of His Counsel

Hebrews 6:17 KJV
Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

Gill says the immutability of God's counsel appears from,
" ....the unchangeableness of his nature,
the sovereignty of his will,
the unsearchableness of his wisdom,
the omnipotence of his arm, and
the unconditionality of the thing decreed"[1]

Barnes says that "the immutability of his counsel” means, "His fixed purpose…" and goes on to say of it, "....He meant to show in the most solemn manner that his purpose would not change. The plans of God never change; and all the hope which we can have of heaven is founded on the fact that his purpose is immutable. If he changed his plans; if he was controlled by caprice; if he willed one thing today and another thing tomorrow, who could confide in him, or who would have any hope of heaven?"[2]

God's counsel is immutable. It is unchangeable and further, needs no change. It is perfect regardless of the age or the situation. It never changes and never needs changing.

All the hope I need is found in this one truth. God changes not and His Word is perfectly adequate.

Oh Lord, help me to be faithful to Your Word.

[1] E-Sword, 7.7.7, John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)
[2] E-Sword, 7.7.7, Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes (1798-1870)

Questioned Call

Hebrews 5:4 KJV
And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

It is surely an honor to be called of God into the work of the ministry. While our call today might not be as "provable" as was Aaron's in the since of external signs, the call is just as significant today as it ever was. The man who has no sense of call from God will not likely make it in genuine ministry. He might be able in the flesh to perform the menial tasks of the "professional" minister but he will never endure the spiritual warfare that keeps the Word of God pure and the pulpit true. Practical ministry may be possible in the flesh, but not the ministry of the soul.

And even Aaron's call was questioned by men. So take warning and care concerning our natural tendency toward rebellion against authority. We would never be able to prove he is not called of God anyway and we may be wrong. If a man is not called of God, God will reveal that soon enough. We do not need to take up His cause. We do not need to challenge a man's call.

And for those who are called, take heart when challenged.

• Aaron was challenged
• Jesus was challenged
• Paul was challenged

More than likely we will be too. God will take care of His own.