“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: 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. “ Psalm 19:7-10
I don’t think there is anything more important for the child of God than understanding the importance of God’s Word. It is not just another book, nor is it some kind of science or history or social studies manual, even though it contains elements of those things. The main purpose of the Scriptures is to bring us into a closer relationship with God.
The Old Testament may seem like just a bunch of stories or some history, but God uses those books to speak to us about His plan for man’s redemption, and about His character. Our faith and trust in God are increased as we take time to study God’s Word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17.
The 19th Psalm gives us some thoughts about the Scriptures and the effect of them on our lives. I think that verse 10 gives us the important conclusion. The value of God’s Word is beyond mere worldly wealth and sweeter than honey. This should grab our attention. If I told you that I have something that can increase your bank account by three times, it would probably grab your attention.
While I realize that we need money in this world, and we make use of worldly things for our survival here, there is something mush more important that we should seek after. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. Spiritual wealth (accumulated in heaven) is far more important. Life is short, but eternity is very long.
Let’s notice some of the characteristics of the Scriptures.
1. Perfect – God’s Word is perfect (complete). Everything we need from God will be found in His Word. I want to mention here that the Bible does not answer every single detail you can think of. It would be enormous. However, it does contain the information we need to address every single detail. God gives us principles to guide us. More importantly, everything that you need to know to turn you towards God is there. The entire purpose of God’s Word is to turn us to Jesus.
2. Sure – This speaks to us about support. A little like a foundation. It is a moral, spiritual foundation that is steady. This will make us wise. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:15. Not the wisdom of the world. This wisdom is spiritual wisdom which supersedes the wisdom of the world.
3. Right – “Straight” which means that they are correct and proper, and this rejoices our heart. Why? Because that which is straight is constant and easy to see and follow. More and more I have come to realize the simplicity of God’s Word and how important that is. The world’s philosophy and guidance is all over the place. “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:128. Knowing what God says is what matters most. God is the One who will judge all things, so what man thinks is irrelevant.
4. Pure – This refers to something that is clean or not adulterated. I also can refer to something that cleanses. Both of these meanings are perfectly applied to God’s Word. We can be certain that it is not adulterated with the philosophies and ideas of the world. We can also be assured that it will cleanse us if we lay hold of it. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,” Ephesians 5:26. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere (pure, unadulterated) milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1Peter 2:2.
“Enlightening the eyes” refers to the ability to give us wisdom and discernment. Through God’s Word, we can clearly see the way ahead of us. We can clearly see the stumbling blocks of the world. We gain discernment in all issues of our life.
5. “The fear of the LORD is clean” – This phrase does not directly refer to the Scriptures, but reminds us that this is the beginning of wisdom which is what we just read above. This word “clean” speaks of ceremonial cleanness. The “Fear of the Lord” refers to a true understanding of Who God is, and the reverence that comes from that. The fear of the Lord is not just some words from our mouth. It is demonstrated in our actions. It brings about a change that is eternal. We will for eternity worship God in absolute reverence.
6. True and righteous – “true” is about correctness, or trustworthiness. God has proven His Word to be trustworthy. Everything He has promised, He has done. We can also ascertain that His Word is correct. When comparing our lives to what we find in the Bible, we realize that it is certainly correct. “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” Psalm 18:30. “So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.” Psalm 119:42.
God’s Word is all of these things and more. It is of utmost value to those that know. If we are going to have a personal relationship with Jesus, we must spend time studying God’s Word. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39. Jesus makes it very clear that we will find Him in the Scriptures. If we are trying to find something else there, we are looking for the wrong thing.
I pray that you find the sweetness of honey when you get into God’s Word.
The word “trust” occurs 152 times in the Old Testament. The New Testament equivalent of “trust” is “faith.” The different Hebrew words which have been translated as “trust” have four basic meanings: 1) “to lean on,” 2) “to take refuge,” 3) “to roll on” or “to roll oneself upon,” and 4) “to stay upon.”
It is interesting to note that the center verse of the whole Bible is written about “trust.” That verse is Ps. 118:8: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” The meaning of “trust” in this verse is “to lean on.” The basic idea of this word is “firmness and solidity.” In other words, it refers to something that is solid enough to lean on.
Another verse which expresses the idea of “leaning” is Prov. 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” We must lean on the Lord and not ourselves.
Now I would like to use an example from the physical body to illustrate the meaning of this verse more clearly. If a person falls and suffers a broken hip, then they must undergo physical therapy after surgery to learn how to walk again. They will require the use of a walker to lean on to help support their weight on the injured leg and to help maintain their balance in order to keep from falling. The walker must be sturdy, and the person must be instructed in how to use it properly. In addition, the person must trust that the walker will support them.
However, some patients never learn to walk again after a broken hip because they are fearful that they will fall again. They are afraid to put their full trust in the walker. As a result, they are hindered in their ability to walk. Likewise, our Christian walk is hindered if we have a lack of trust.
Learning to lean on a walker with all of your weight is like learning to lean on the Lord with all of your heart. We must realize that spiritually, we have no strength of our own or ability to walk without leaning upon Him. We cannot lean on our own understanding. It will not hold us up. If we are not trusting the Lord completely, then we will always have fear of falling.
Notice that the verse in Prov. 3:5 instructs us to trust the Lord with all of our heart, not just a part, not just half-heartedly. We are to first acknowledge our weakness and our need for God’s strength, and then we must lean fully upon Him. We cannot be victorious in our Christian walk or in our trials if we do not lean upon the Lord and trust him completely. If we put our trust in ourselves instead of the Lord, we will fall.
Today, if you are currently going through a time of weakness, a time of testing, a wilderness experience, and find that all of your strength is gone, then I encourage you to lean upon your Beloved, as the Shulamite did in S.O.S. 8:5: “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her Beloved…” Who is this Shulamite? She is the picture of the Bride of Christ.
The bride recognizes her need for the strength of her Beloved and leans upon him, not just in times of testing, but in her everyday experiences. She trusts Him with all of her heart and knows that she can safely lean upon Him. But she also leans upon Him simply because of her love for Him, even as John leaned upon Jesus breast.
In Ruth 2:12 we find the second meaning of the word “trust,” which is “to take refuge.” These are the words of Boaz, to Ruth: “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.” Ruth’s testimony was that she trusted in the Lord and took refuge in Him, under His wings.
We, too, can be safely sheltered under His wings when we take refuge in the Lord and trust Him completely, as is declared by the psalmist in Ps. 91:2,4: “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” ... “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust...”
The third meaning of the word “trust” in the Hebrew is found in Ps. 2:2. This psalm is a Messianic psalm regarding the crucifixion of Christ. Verse 8 states, “He has trusted in the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.” The word “trust” in this verse means to “roll upon the Lord.” This is exactly what Jesus did on the cross. He committed His Spirit into God’s hands. He rolled everything over upon His Father, and became obedient unto the death of the cross, and God raised Him up in victory over the grave. The Lord will also deliver us from our trials when we trust Him enough to roll our problems over onto His shoulder and leave them there.
The last meaning of the word “trust” is found in Job 13:15, where it means “to be patient, to hope, to stay upon.” Job was enduring a severe physical and emotional trial, and seemingly had no one to turn to, for his wife and friends had turned their backs on him. However, Job knew that, in spite of his circumstances, he could put his trust in the Lord. In this verse Job proclaims, “Though he [God] slay me, yet will I trust him...” Job’s hope and trust in the Lord extended even beyond the grave, and so he knew that he could safely depend on Him to take care of him. He trusted God in spite of his suffering. His faith and trust in the Lord were steadfast. God’s grace was sufficient for Job and for Paul and will also be sufficient for us when we put our trust in Him.
We can stand and move
when we want to go.
But to just stand still,
and take it slow –
Takes faith and trust
in God’s own plan.
He’s in control,
it’s in His Hand.
But standing up
when He says “Move,”
Is just as hard,
For you then prove –
That you are willing
to give your all,
To hear His voice,
to heed His call.
And then to stand
and wait to see,
His mighty Arm,
and let things be –
Shows grace and strength
drawn from His Word.
An obedient life,
a heart assured.
Debbie Isenbletter
Springfield, Missouri
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:1-2
As mentioned in the intro article, Paul begins this letter with his credentials and a greeting of grace and peace. The overall message that God gives us through Paul’s writing is one of grace and peace, brought to us through Jesus Christ. In order to keep us grounded, we must first know for certain that everything is from God by His grace.
Read Ephesians 1:3-6.
God deserves blessing from us for who He is and for what He has done. When we use the word “blessed” or “blessing” we think primarily of God giving us something. However, the Greek word used here is “euloge¯tos”, and refers to speaking praise about someone. We definitely need to praise God for the things that Paul is mentioning in these verses.
Notice these:
• He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ
• He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world
• that we should be holy and without blame before him in love
• Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
• He hath made us accepted in the beloved.
We will continue to notice more of what God has done for us as we go through this letter. Often times, it seems that Christians want to find the things that God demands of us so we can create a religion. Paul wants us to know the things that God has done for us and provided for us, as these are necessary before we can even think about something we might do for God.
Jesus did not come to create a religion. He did not come to put demands on humanity. He came to offer us something that religion and self effort would never avail. We need to understand these things, and Paul intends to open them up for us. We do well to ask the Holy Spirit that “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened.”
Consider that we “have been” blessed with “all” spiritual blessings in Christ. First, there is no mention of natural blessings or wealth here. God is far more concerned with our spiritual condition than our natural condition, because the spiritual condition has eternal implications while the natural condition is temporary. The statement is about something that is already done. And it is about something that is very complete. Jesus died once for all, to make provision for all we need. All spiritual blessings are provided for us already.
We need to understand the concept of being “chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.” It refers to the fact that God had always intended to bring us to Himself through Jesus. It was always God’s plan to bring human beings into fellowship with Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus. This is God’s choice, and we are blessed to be able to lay hold of this invitation.
I know there are some that will say that God chooses certain ones to be saved and others not. I cannot reconcile this teaching with the rest of scripture where God is clear that whosoever will may call upon the name of the Lord. I do understand that God knew those that would call upon His name, but His foreknowledge does not mean He chose some to salvation and some to perdition.
God’s choice of Jesus’ sacrifice to brings us into fellowship with Himself was more than just a symbol of some kind. It allows us to stand before Him “holy and without blame.” We certainly could never achieve this standing by our own effort. It is not a standing that depends on our ability to keep some rules or do something special. It is freely provided to us by God’s grace.
When Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus, he was told that he must be born again. Jesus talks about a new birth that brings us into God’s family. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ.” The word adoption used here in the English translation is not referring to adoption as we understand it. We are not just brought into God’s family, we are born again into His family by spiritual birth. God doesn’t just drag the old creation into His family, he brings us in as a new creation in Christ Jesus.
All of this is according to the good pleasure of His will. God did all of this of His own accord, and for His own pleasure. Consider for a minute that bringing you into His family brings pleasure to God. So much so that He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son to do so. In all of this first chapter of Ephesians, I want you to notice how often Paul mentions “He,” “Who” and reminds us that God did all of this of His own volition which means that all praise goes to Him.
God did not owe us anything. We were the rebellious creation that turned against God to satisfy our own desires and will. We were God’s enemies Romans 5:8-10. We were not acceptable. We could not have fellowship with God or ever expect to enter into His presence. Even in that condition, God provided His Son to reconcile us. He made us “accepted in the Beloved.” We know who the Beloved is. God clearly tells us on the mount of transfiguration in Matthew 17 that Jesus is His beloved Son.
“Accepted” means that we now have access to His presence. Hebrews 10:19, Romans 5:2. I am not sure if we really understand the privilege this brings to us. In this world, people consider it a privilege to have access to the President or to some important person or entertainer. We have access to the Almighty, Eternal, Holy God. I hope you understand the immensity of this privilege and do not take it for granted.
Continued
“He performeth the thing that is appointed for me” Job 23:14.
“Disappointment – His appointment,”
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God’s better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Tho’ it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies.
“Disappointment – His appointment,”
Whose? The Lord, who loves me best,
Understands and knows me fully,
Who my faith and love would test;
For, like loving earthly parents,
He rejoices when He knows
That His child accepts, UNQUESTIONED,
All that from His wisdom flows.
Disappointment – His appointment,”
“No good thing will He withhold,”
From denials oft we gather
Treasures of His love untold.
Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust,
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.
Disappointment – His appointment,”
Lord, I take it, then, as such.
Like the clay in hands of potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
All my life’s plan is Thy moulding,
Not one single choice be mine;
Let me answer, unrepining –
Father, “Not my will, but Thine.”
– E. L. Young
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.” II Chr. 20:21-22.
When the singers, who were appointed, began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the enemy. It is truly amazing the things that are accomplished through praise. Earlier in Verse 17 is a most beautiful promise. “ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.” How do we set ourselves? By believing God’s Word and praising Him. If we are entering a battle against the enemy, be it spiritual, physical or mental, start to praise the Lord–Victory is ours.
In Acts chapter sixteen, we find Paul and Silas in prison, the inner prison or as we would say the most secure part of the prison with their feet in stocks. At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. The prisoners heard them. They heard and believed. Suddenly there was a great earthquake and the foundations of the prison were shaken. All the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed. True prayer and praise always brings the victory. Victory is ours and is yours. Begin to pray and praise the Lord, the results may surprise you. Praise His precious name!
By R. E. M.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God…” Rev. 3:11-12a.
The Apostle Paul spoke in Philippians three, of winning Christ. Here we read of crown winners. Those that win Jesus Christ as their bridegroom will be crown winners. These are they who are overcoming here and now, and are thus being make pillars to stand and uphold. This is an important part of being ready for our Lord’s return. We overcome by holding to, and standing fast for that which we’ve been given. Thankful hearts appreciate that which has been committed to our trust.
A WINNING TRAIT
“But thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” I Cor. 15:57-58.
It is scripturally evident that “steadfastness” is one of the essential characteristics of an overcomer. If it is required, it will be rewarded. In thankfulness for the victory that God has given us through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are urged to “STEADFASTNESS.” In resurrection hope of Christ’s return we are given a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls Heb. 6:18-19, I am impressed how strongly Paul encouraged it, and was encouraged by the steadfastness of the brethren. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong” I Cor. 16:13. “Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render unto God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before God: I Thess. 3:7-9. “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ” Col. 2:5. He was thus blessed by hearing of faithful soldiers who could keep rank.
I think brother Paul sounds somewhat disappointed and very lonely in II Tim. 4:10-16. He had seen some departures, some removed to other fields, responsibilites, others finish their course, and others like Demas depart for selfish reasons. I am glad to hear him sound a word of cheer in verses 17-18. I am reminded of Psalm 142:3-5, “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.”
We understand that fuller partakership in Christ is to be realized in continued steadfast confidence Heb. 3:14. Beloved the race is almost over. The battle is on, and steadfastness in the faith is a necessity. “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” Phil. 1:27. Steadfast resistance of our adversary is done in the faith I Pet. 5:9. It seems that most of God’s people are painfully slow at learning where the strength for stability is found. We are enabled to stand only as we are strong in the Lord and the power of His might. We stand as our loins are girted about with truth Eph. 6:10,14.
STEADY HANDS
Moses, sent Joshua out to fight against Amalck. Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill overlooking the battleground. Moses took the rod of God in his hand and when he held it up Israel prevailed in battle, but when he let it down Amalek prevailed. So Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under him, and stayed up Moses’ hands on either side. Moses’ hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Therefore Joshua defeated Amalek Ex. 17:9-13. They who stand for the whole counsel of God today also need their hands upheld. Let us encourage each other for victory.
STAND IN YOUR PLACE
Judges 6-8 as a form of correction the Midianites were allowed to prevail against Israel. Therefore the Israelites were hiding in dens, and caves, and strongholds. Their enemies destroyed their crops and left them no sustenance. Israel being so greatly impoverished cried unto the Lord. Then the Lord raised up Gideon, who was not a self confident or self sufficient man. We see God working in him to make him ready to stand. This unlikely man was divinely prepared to lead to glorious victory an unlikely band, with some very unorthodox implements of warfare in their hands. Gideon needed assurance for himself from the Lord, and he faced though opposition at home. But then a multitude of Midianites, and Amalekites and children of the east gathered to lay siege against the in the valley of Jezreel. When they did, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon. He blew the trumpet and gathered a goodly army after him. This was an amazing feat in itself, yet Godeon needed further confirmation. God so graciously gave it, with the fleece, and hearing of the dream and it’s interpretation in the Midian camp.
Before they went to war God twice greatly reduced Gideon’s army. First God had Gideon send home all those that were “fearful and afraid.” God was going to use those that would stand in the face of overwhelming odds. (Paul urged “stand fast in one spirit…in nothing terrified by your adversaries” Phil. 1:27). Gideon saw his army go from twenty two thousand to ten thousand men. God had the remaining men go down to the water to be proven yet further. We must remember that this was a most dangerous moment, there was a multitude ready to attack. Those men that gave themselves to satisfying their legitimate thirst and bowed themselves on their knees to drink, were sent home. Satisfying their desire seemed more important then the security of their people. Those that lifted the water to their mouth were the three hundred that remined. Those alert and erect would be more quickly ready for battle. God chose those that would stand. He used this test to close up the ranks. Now spiritually speaking we stand best on our knees. We do well to be alert to the times wherein we live.
Gideon and is men surrounded the camp of their enemy by night armed with trumpets, pitchers, lamps and faith in their God. “By faith they turned to fight the armies of aliens” (Heb. 11:34). They were part of those who through faith subdued kingdoms. When they blew the trumpets brake the pitchers, and held forth the lamps, and shouted the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. “They stood every an in his place all the host ran and cried and fled. Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel.” Our Father records such victories to encourage us to spiritual stability. We each may be used to strengthen the other and will be rewarded for standing in our God-given place. Ezekiel was called on the warn his people. “Ye have not gone up into the gaps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord Eze. 13:5. “I sought for a man among them…but found none.” Eze. 22:30.
WHO WILL STAND
There are those that make gaps, some are used to fill them, and others that stand in them. If all went off in different directions and left all responsibility behind who would stay by the stuff? Neglect is easy, we can make all kinds of excuses for being unfaithful, but our Lord wants to make us pillars that stand and support. When we are unfaithful, we make it more difficult for others to fill the gap, covering more territory and taking greater responsibility. This works good for those upon whom it falls, but is not so beneficial for the slackers. Thank God that in the times of falling away He widen His pillars and raise up new ones. There are times we feel weak, faint, unstable, anything but steadfast and unmoveable. In those times we are learning to lean hard upon Him who is our rock. He would be our stay, make us steady, enable us to stand Rom. 14:4. David’s song of praise when the Lord delivered him (Psa. 18:17-19) “The Lord was my stay.” God delights to make any who depend upon him, dependable. He is our firm support, our upholder.
The love of Solomon’s life requested, “Stay me with flagons.” In other words she expected him to invigorate and sustain her as he poured on his intoxicating love. That’s how we feel as we lean on the bosom of our beloved. Apostle Paul said, “None of these things moved me neither counted I my life dear unto myself that I might finish my course with joy.” Soon we may join him. Glory to God, think of that.
Dear Glorious Gospel,
I would like to thank you for all the publications, I have been reading these for years. I never throw them out. When I get done, they go in a shelf, I have 4 shelves in my bed room, my Bible study room.
I love my Bible, it is my guide to love, live and be happy. God is my rock, by fortress and my guide.
I lost my wife six year ago from cancer. My son takes me to church every Sunday and Wednesday night as I don’t drive any more.
I do my Bible study at home every day. And I read Glorious Gospel over and over, they never get old. I also get Grace & Glory books every month as well.
I want to thank you for all my books to read.
Love in Christ Jesus,
Charles Schlobohm
It is the Lord who supplies our needs – Spiritual, physical, financial, emotional, mental, etc. Whatever needs we have, and we have many, our entire well being is dependent on the Lord. The unsaved person may think that he is responsible for his own welfare and gives credit to himself for the meeting of his needs and desires. We can see God’s grace displayed to unbelievers in this by the withholding of His judgment (at this time), when men are taking credit and glory for their achievement.
Even as Christians, we may take God’s supplying of our needs for granted. It is easy to glorify our job and our own intellect and ability as the source of our income and success. The Lord uses these things in our behalf, but the thanks and glory should go to the Lord.
When we have needs and we pray about them, with thankfulness to the Lord for His faithfulness in our behalf, we need to be aware that the Lord may answer that request and meet our need in a way that we would not suspect. God is not a “methodist” – he does not answer the same way each time. Some answers appear to be miraculous, some answers are quick, some are long-coming. The Important thing is to continue to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart,” and “lean not to our own understanding” -Proverbs 3:5. Feelings are deceiving, so undependable. Our stability is in our Rock and Fortress Christ Jesus – Psalm 31:3.
In Matthew 8 we read of several physical needs, and the Lord answered in different ways: Jesus spoke the word and the centurion’s servant was healed – Verses 5-13. Previously, Jesus had put forth His hand and touched a leper. “Immediately his leprosy was cleansed – Verses 2-4. Again, it is recorded in verses 14-18, that Jesus touched the hand of Peter’s Mother-in-law, and she arose.
In Matthew 9 the Lord touched the eyes of two blind men and their eyes were opened. So it is that sometimes we need Jesus to speak to our heart, maybe another need will necessitate a touch on the hand so to speak, and then again maybe we need our eyes touched. This implies Spiritual “doves” eyes to understand the working of the Lord in our lives.
John tells us of a man born blind who was healed by the Lord. What is unusual is that the Lord “spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle. He anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay, then instructed him to wash in the pool of Siloam. “He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.” This is not a lesson on healing, but an illustration through scripture of how the Lord works in a variety of ways to meet our needs. The clay would speak of earthly things. Although the Lord may use our jobs, people, etc., to meet needs, we should ultimately worship the Lord as the blind man did, and give Him the glory.
“You are worthy, Our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.”
Psalm 121:1-3
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace – who imparts all blessing and favor – who has called you to His (Own) eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, established ground you - securely, strengthen (and settle) you,” I Peter 5:10 Amp.
“Be devoted to one anther in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Martha Wainright
“My times are in thy hand: . . .” Psalms 31:15
Once again, we have come into a new year. It often seems that time is just moving faster than we can adjust for. When I was thinking about the new year, I realized that “New Year” is just a nomenclature for us to account for periods of time in our life. So are all other periods of time (day, week, month, etc). Our life continues on and on until God brings it to an end.
This is not going to be some morbid, depressing article. In fact, it will be just the opposite. Time continuing no matter what we think, and increasing our age with no care as to what it is doing to our bodies, is simply just a fact of this life. We cannot change or stop the passage of time. However, we do have reason to have hope in the midst of all of this.
In December, we are brought to consider the first advent of Jesus when He came as a baby and grew into a man that gave His life for our redemption. Not just so we could go around claiming to be righteous people, but so that we could spend eternity with Him. This is exactly what He told us, “that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3).
This is truly our great hope. Yes, time is moving on and we cannot stop it, but we should be looking even more urgently for the coming of our Lord to take us to be with Him. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Romans 13:11.
My desire for this new year is to encourage God’s people to check their focus. Many people will make new years resolutions, most of which will not be kept. I do not recommend making resolutions that will simply be ignored soon. I do recommend getting into the study of your Bible. It will help you find the right focus.
Many Christians today are focused on the current events in the world. They might be focused on the politics of their local community or their country. They might be focused on improving the situation through politics and other means. All of this is just a distraction that we are warned about. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers SHALL wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But CONTINUE THOU in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;” 2 Timothy 3:12-14. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” 2 Timothy 2:4.
Scripture is very clear on the direction that the world will go as Jesus’ coming gets closer. There is no scripture that tells us that we will, or even should try to, improve the world system. I have no illusions about where things will go in our country or any other. Our focus needs to be squarely on Jesus, and our expectation of His soon return. In Revelation 2, we find Jesus saying the following to the church at Ephesus; “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” “First love” is “preeminent love” “first in time or place, in any succession of things or persons, first in rank, influence, honour.
Is Jesus all of this to me? To you? Are other things taking this place in our lives? I feel compelled to stress more and more the importance of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is after all what true Christianity is really about.
So much of what the world offers to Christians sounds good, and even has a small bit of truth mixed in. Satan is not stupid, and we should be very careful to not underestimate him. Paul tells us that we should know Satan’s methods. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:11. We really must stay immersed in God’s Word if we are to understand and recognize Satan’s devices against us.
Many things are going to change in our world. AI (Artificial Intelligence) is increasingly taking over and presenting us with all kinds of information and things that can sometimes be difficult to discern. My personal opinion about technology is that it can be very useful and it can be used for very evil purposes. This has always been true of technology.
I say all of this as a reminder that we are to be alert and watching. Not watching the world for what they are doing or going to do, but watching for our Lord. Alert to the devices of the enemy, but watching eagerly for our Lord. When our Lord was on His way to the cross, He did not tell His disciples to try to stop that or to be concerned with what the government was doing. He told them to watch and pray.
It is certainly possible that we might see things get much worse in the coming days or years, if the Lord tarries. Don’t be moved by these things. Be steadfast in your faith and your hope that is in Christ Jesus. The world will likely hate us more and more, and more Christians will be moved to try to counteract this hatred. We are not told to counteract the hatred of the world, but simply to trust in our Lord. “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” 1 John 3:13. 1 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:” Peter 2:21-23.
Time will continue to pass until Jesus returns, and the most important thing we can do is to wait expectantly for Him. May we “love His appearing” 2 Timothy 4:8. And may we say with those in Revelation 22, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Phil. 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We know that Paul’s God was a very personal God to him because he uses the personal pronoun “my.” He calls God, “my God.” David spoke something very similar to this in Ps. 23:1: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want [lack].” They both had a personal relationship with God and depended upon Him to meet all of their needs. We, too, can have that same personal relationship with Him through salvation.
Next, Paul states that God “shall” supply all your needs. He did not say “maybe” or “perhaps” He might, but that He “shall” supply. It is a father’s responsibility to supply the needs of his children. When we are born again, then God becomes our Father, and we can trust Him to take care of us. We should have the same confidence that our needs will be met that Paul and David had.
Paul then makes it clear that God shall supply “all” of our needs, not just a part of them. Nothing shall be lacking. Notice that he did not say that He would supply our “wants” or satisfy our “greed,” but that He would supply our “need.” He knows exactly what we need both physically and spiritually. Our natural needs are important, but not as important as our spiritual needs.
A father would be expected to provide clothing, food, shelter and comfort. Our spiritual needs for those things have already been provided for us by our Heavenly Father, for He knows what we have need of. For clothing, He has given us His righteousness; for food, we can feast on the Bread from heaven and the sincere milk of the Word; for shelter, we can hide under the shadow of His wings and in the cleft of the Rock; and for comfort, we can lean on His everlasting arms.
As His children, we have the privilege and the right to come to Him at any time and ask for what we need. In Matt. 7:7-11 Jesus encourages us to come to the Father regarding our needs: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
An earthly father may not always have the resources to give his children everything that they need, but our Heavenly Father has unlimited riches in His storehouse. He is willing and able to supply our need and to “do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20).
Paul declared in the last part of Phil. 4:19 that God would supply all our need “according to” His riches in glory. He did not say “out of His riches.” “Out of” means to give “a portion of” His riches, whereas “according to” means to give “in the same proportion as” His riches. If a millionaire gave you $1,000, it would only be a small portion of his riches. It would not be “according to” His riches. God’s riches are unlimited, so if He supplies our need “according to” His riches, then that means that He will keep on giving as long as we keep on asking, and the supply will never run out.
Sometimes we do not know what we need, but He will always answer according to His will. He knows what is best for us. Some of the greatest blessings that we receive come in a package marked “trials and tribulations.”
Paul concludes this verse by stating that our needs will be met “by Christ Jesus.” They are not met according to or by our works but by Christ Himself and paid for in full on Calvary. If Christ is all we have, then we have all we need.
How often have I sat and watched -
and seen You go before.
To pick me up each time I fall,
to open wide a door.
How often have I knelt and prayed -
my strength was almost gone,
yet in Your love, You gave to me,
Your strength to rest upon.
How often have I sat and watched -
Your strong right Arm stretched out.
In my behalf, You conquered all,
and left no room for doubt.
How often have I knelt and prayed –
and wept before Your face.
And never have You turned away,
but always given Grace.
How often have I sat and watched –
You care for every need.
Both small and great, You saw them all,
I had no need to plead.
How often have I sat and watched –
the power of Your Word.
What joy! What grace! What hope! What love!
The hearts that it has stirred!
Debbie Isenbletter
Springfield, Missouri
I experienced sever sharp pain in my chest area that came on me suddenly. I didn’t know what it was or what caused it and thinking it was my heart, but it was not on the left side. It was not constant, but happened every time I moved my arms. At my age I thought it would go away in time, but it became worse in the following days. I was prayed for by my pastor and I did not get an instant healing, but it seemed to be getting better the next couple of days. But then it came back stronger. I called by doctors office and received no help at all and they always say call us first. Well, that proved not to be the thing to do. I was prayed for again by the Assembly and the Lord took the pain all away right away. Praise the Lord! I give Him all the glory.
I also want to share an interesting letter from a woman in Missouri that told me what she did with her past issues of the Glorious Gospel magazine. She sent them to a group that sends Bibles and other reading matter out to others. I appreciate her telling me about that.
If the Lord has blessed you in supplying your needs in any way, pray about writing it down and sending it to share and encourage others by your testimony in the magazine.
Introduction
The letter of Paul to the Ephesians has some of the greatest instruction for God’s people. It helps us understand our position in Christ and what God’s purpose for us is.
Ephesus was a prominent port city in Asia Minor, in what is current day Turkey. It was a major religious site as the temple of Diana was there. This made it a wealthy city due to trade and religious tourism (pilgrimage). This religious aspect comes into full view as Paul evangelizes there in Acts starting in chapter 18.
He first goes to Ephesus on his way to Jerusalem but does not stay long, but he leaves Priscilla and Aquila there. When Apollos comes, they are able to help instruct him more perfectly in the gospel and he is an effective witness for the gospel.
In Acts 19 we find Paul returning to Ephesus and asking the believers if they have received the Holy Spirit. They have not yet heard about the Holy Spirit, and so Paul lays hands on them and they receive. When rejected by the Jews in the synagogue, Paul then goes to the gentiles with his message of grace.
He then stay for over two years and ministers mainly to the gentiles since the Jews had rejected his ministry. It seems that this allowed the gospel to be heard all over Asia at that time. “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19:10. Likely this is an effect of Ephesus being a major city with a lot of commerce and people traveling to and from there all over the known world.
In Acts 19:19 we see a great turning of people to God. They turn from their idolatry and witchcraft and burn their related books and the Word of God grows greatly.
When we study the letter that Paul wrote to the Ephesian saints, we come to realize that these were more mature saints than those at Corinth. The topics in this letter are a higher understanding of God’s purpose and work in the lives of His children. Paul wants these saints to know some important topics and have a deeper understanding. He even prays for them in this way. Ephesians 1:16-23.
Paul starts this letter the same way he starts most of his letters. With a salutation and his credentials. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:” Ephesians 1:1. We know who wrote this and we know that Paul has been called by Jesus (apostle). He is the apostle to the gentiles (Galatians 2:7-8).
This is good, because many of the believers in Ephesus were gentiles. And, of course, we are also gentiles. Aren’t you glad God saw fit to call the gentiles to salvation through Jesus Christ as well as the Jews? This amazing fact is exactly what we find as we begin reading this letter.
“Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:2.
An important reminder to us the we are here by God’s grace through Jesus. All that we are and all that we have comes to us through God’s grace. Paul uses this greeting in all of his letters. Paul understood personally the importance of God’s grace, because he had experienced it in His own life (1 Timothy 1:12-16).
As we go through this letter, we will find that Paul reminds us exactly what we are and what we have through Jesus, as well as what God desires to do through us. All through God’s grace. This letter is for those who would desire to mature in their relationship with Jesus. It provides instruction that we need and requires us to truly desire to look closely into it.
I think that we often read through some of these things quickly and enjoy something on the surface but then fail to dig deeper. God’s Word has much more than can be taken in with a cursory reading. I encourage you to take time to meditate through this letter to the Ephesians so that you can understand what God wants to work in your life. Ephesians 1:17-19.
Bible study in Ephesians will continue.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3
Jesus is speaking of some simple and exciting things in such a personal way, and they are recorded for believer’s enjoyment and encouragement. Let us consider and take them to heart.
HIS PEACE – “Let not our heart be troubled.” What wonderful care and cure for troubled hearts. There is certainly a significant increase in troubled hearts today. But Jesus said in Lk. 21:26-27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you..” The world has so many artificial tranquilizers, that are so temporary, and contain many harmful side effects. But when we cast our care on Him, He promises that the peace that passeth understanding shall guard as with a garrison our hearts and minds - Phil 4:6-7. Most any city, state, or country of any size has a peace keeping force, but our Lord has for us powerful and personal protection of our heart and mind. Oh, how great the need. We are instructed to “let the peace of God rule (act as umpire in all decisions) in our hearts” Col. 3:15. The things happening in this troubled world, bombard us with external destroyers of an outward tranquility. But thank God for the deep settled peace that our dear Lord places within, which is our privilege to allow to reign there. He keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him – Isa. 26:3.
HIS PERSUASION – (the true essence of faith.) “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.” The peace that rules in our hearts is there as a result of faith. THANK GOD, we may now live by the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us – Gal. 2:20. Paul assures us that God has not given us the spirit for fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. We also may know Him whom we have believed, and be persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day – II Tim. 1:7,12. Oh, how comforting to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not lean to our own understanding – Prov. 3:5-6.
HIS PLACE – “I go to prepare a place for you.” There are many places in the Father’s house already prepared for others by the Father, but Jesus has gone to prepare for us personally, special places.
HIS PURPOSE – “I go” He came here to go. Our dear Lord did so many wonderful things while He was here. Oh, the gracious , marvelous words that proceeded out of His mouth. He prophesied, and fulfilled prophecy, but He always knew that He was on His way to the cross. His face was set like a flint. His destiny was determined, and He would not be detoured by Satan nor men. Thank God! He finished His course, completed His circuit, and could say to His Father, “Mission accomplished.”
HIS PREPARATION “I go to prepare.” His preparation began by going to the cross, in order to prepare us for a place. Therefore we see His preparation was two fold, “for us and in us.” In this work He is changing us mightily, and inwardly – II Cor. 3:18. He is developing his life in us, bringing us to maturity. He is at work to make overcomers out of us. He is working in us the will and do of His good pleasure, having began a good work in us. He is also subduing our otherwise mindedness (Phil. 2:13, 3:15,21) as we are available, and yielded. This preparation is especially “training for reigning.” Remember these things are being done by His power unto His praise – Eph. 3:20-21; 1:6,12,14, and 2:7. This certainly delights the overcoming heart.
HIS PROMISE – “I will come again, and receive you unto myself,” Do we believe it? Are we expecting Him to keep His promise? Are we awaiting God’s Son from heaven? How personal! We read, “The Lord Himself shall descend.” His promise gives us such wonderful hope. In Him we enjoy blessed hope, living hope, glorious hope – the hope of the ages, it is in our hearts, and anchors our souls.
HIS PRESENCE -”That where I am, there ye may be also.” Glory, glory! What a pleasant presence. Shall we not sing in sweet anticipation, “In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” – Ps. 16:11. “So shall we ever be with the Lord – I Thess. 4:17. Jesus Christ paid for our being there, our transport right into the heavenly presence of our Lord and Father. Several scriptures tell us so. The one quickened to my heart in this connection, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit – I Pet. 3:18. On the way to the cross Jesus also prayed for it. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory. Which thou hast given me: for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world” – Jn. 17:24. He expected God the Father to answer his prayer, shouldn’t we? I expect to be there, don’t you?
We have been going over the type, shadow, or appearance of Jesus in each of the books of the Old Testament. Today it will be Ecclesiastes, which the theme of the book is “under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 1:1-2, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
Solomon wrote this book, but notice he says “the words of the Preacher” and “saith the Preacher.” The word preacher is capitalized; it is used as a name. The Preacher is a reference to Jesus, so we see Jesus as the Preacher.
One thing about this book is it focuses on trying to find satisfaction, joy and happiness “under the sun” in this life. Eccl. 1:14 says I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. The works that we do “under the sun” are all vanity and vexation of spirit. It does not satisfy.
Eccl. 3:19, For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as in the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Eventually this life ends and if the Lord tarries everyone will eventually die. That is just the way it is with men, this life is temporary. And because everything in this life, everything under the sun, is temporary we cannot find eternal and lasting happiness or satisfaction in anything that is under the sun.
Jesus, the Preacher, says in Matthew 6:19-21, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The treasures that Jesus has for us in heaven are eternal and when our heart is focused on the Son, S-O-N, then we are living a life that is over the sun, S-U-N. When we see that our treasure is in heaven then we can be satisfied and happy in this life.
But how do we become an “over the sun, S-U-N person who is focused on the Son, S-O-n? Eccl. 4:9-10, Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Two are better than one and one will lift up another.
Jesus, the Preacher, says in Matthew 11:28-30, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The two that are better than one is us joined to Jesus. He is the one who lifts us up. To be an over the sun person we first need to be joined to the Son and it is only in the Son, S–O-N that we can find rest, satisfaction, and happiness not only in eternity but now here on earth while we walk under the sun.
The fact of the matter is that we have all that Solomon was looking for while we are under the sun when we are joined to Jesus. That does not mean that life will always be easy or that we will never face any difficulties or hardships. Remember when two are joined together one will help the other up. Well, when we are joined to Jesus, He will help us up during the difficult times in our lives. The fact of the matter is, when we are joined to Jesus, we can have the peace of God in any situation that we face because we know that Jesus is right there with us in the situation.
So, in the book of Ecclesiastes we see Jesus as the Preacher who reveals to us eternal treasures we have over the sun and joins Himself to us so we can walk as “over the sun people” while we live “under the sun.”
OBEDIENCE isn’t a word that we usually like to hear because we tend to do what we want to do, instead of listening to someone else. But we have found that the only way to live and be blessed by God is by OBEYING Him.
In Acts 17, the philosophers of Athens urged the Apostle Paul to tell them about the “new doctrine” he proclaimed in the marketplace. He was ready to declare the Good News to them because “his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry” (v.16). The Apostle Paul spoke of the God of creation, the One who is “Lord of heaven and earth,” and that all people are His offspring. Then he declared the truth that many didn’t like to hear: “God … commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (vs. 30-31).
We don’t like to be told what to do because we are born with the Old Nature which is self-centered and stubborn. But God in His love and grace towards us, commands us (charges us, declares to us) to repent, to change the way we think and do things. We need to do this because JUDGMENT is coming. Jesus will come and JUDGE the world, ready or not! But the Good News is that when we put our trust in Jesus and receive Him as Savior, all our sins are under the blood. We don’t fear JUDGMENT because we have obeyed the Gospel call and have received God’s forgiveness and peace. The Book of Romans is the grand presentation of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it begins and finishes with OBEDIENCE.
Romans 1:5 “By whom [Jesus] we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name.” From the Amplified (2015) “… to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name’s sake among all the gentiles.” Yes, it is wonderful to accept Jesus as Savior, which is the most important decision that we’ll ever make. But there is more! It is an act of obedience to accept Jesus as SAVIOR, and then it is a continuing act of obedience to accept Jesus as LORD. A disciple of Jesus is one who continually obeys Him, not just from time to time.
Who reigns on the throne of your heart? Is it you or Jesus? It is important that we let Jesus rule and reign over us, otherwise we are just living carnal lives, acting according to our own will (which the world does constantly). We praise God for everyone who receives Jesus as Savior, but we praise God even more for those who LIVE FOR JESUS, not just for SELF.
Romans 16:25-27 “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”
Not all faith is good faith. We can put our faith in the things of this world and in the institutions of man. But this always leads to disappointment. But when we OBEDIENTLY put our faith in God, this is where life begins! The more that we believe God, the more that we will be able to be OBEDIENT. God has given us the ability to respond to His Word, and so we all have this responsibility to handle His Word correctly. When we put all of our faith in God (all of our heart, soul, and might), this is OBEDIENCE that we will never regret, for it has eternal rewards.
Why is OBEDIENCE important to God? There’s something about putting our faith in Him that pleases Him. God delights in those who CHOOSE to be with Him, who CHOOSE to have a relationship with Him instead of living for themselves. Those who don’t want God won’t be forced to be with Him, so God will grant them their evil desire to be left alone, to be without Him. Question: God showed His love for us by giving us His only begotten Son. Jesus showed His love for us when He laid down His life for us. How do we show our love to God? We show our love by OBEDIENCE.
Consider what Jesus said … John 14:21-24 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 15:9-10 “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
What are God’s commands to us now? The 10 Commandments? All of the commands that God gave to Israel in the Old Testament? Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). Love is the answer to all of God’s commands. Where do we get this love?
1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”
God’s love is unselfish, self-sacrificing care and concern. But human love is limited and conditional. It was God that got the ball rolling in the first place; it is with God’s love that we can love Him and love others. In John 15:11, Jesus said, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
The Apostle Paul said, “Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law … Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:8-10). The Apostle John also told us what commands God wants us to OBEY … 1 John 3:23-24 “And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.”
We are called into a relationship of love that goes beyond all human love. We have this wonderful opportunity for Jesus to ABIDE (continue, dwell, remain) in us and for us to ABIDE (continue, dwell, remain) in Him. John 15:4-5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Everything we do must be in OBEDIENCE to God, or else it will come to nothing. We don’t want to spin our wheels in vain, so we are learning to LET GOD have His way in everything we say or do. This takes discipline!
From the chorus of the song, “Trust and Obey”
Trust and obey – For there’s no other way,
To be happy in Jesus – But to trust and obey.
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isaiah 53:4
“We love, because He first loved us.” I John 4:19
“Do not be afraid nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes. For the LORD will be your confidence…” Proverbs. 3:25-26
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3
“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
“O LORD, our lord, How majestic is your name in all the earth.” Psalm 8:9
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your loving kindness, because of your truth.” Psalm 115:1
Martha Wainright