HOW SWEET
ALL AT ONCE IT WAS FOR ME
to be rid of those fruitless joys
which I had once feared to lose!..
You drove them from me,
you who are the true,
the sovereign joy.
You drove them from me and took their place,
you who are sweeter than all pleasure...
O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth,
and my Salvation.
Augustine
Confessions, IX, I.
"I have esteemed the words of HIS mouth MORE than my necessary food." Job 23:12b
So HOW has God ordained that we should be made holy, purified, consecrated? By eating his WORD. :)
It comes through the careful STUDY of WORDS - God's WORDS. As we imbibe His words and their meanings, God works surrender in our hearts and a sweet EXPERIENCE WITH HIM.
Jesus said, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy WORD is truth"(Jn.17:17), so those who are REALLY in the WORD have a special promise and assurance from God that they have an everlasting INHERITANCE (possession) of HIM and that they are being slowly sanctified.
Let me explain HOW I sometimes "meditate". Perhaps you will find my method helpful in your study as well.
First, I usually take a passage, and then I take one verse at a time (usually just one or two a day). I have a Thompson Chain Reference Bible, so it has little topics by each verse about what that verse is about. I enjoy looking up the verses that deal with that topic. You could probably use a Topical Bible to do this as well.
Then I look up "Key" words in that verse in the Strong's Concordance. Finding the meanings is REALLY INTERESTING sometimes! Then I take the verse and pray it to God and usually apply it to my life for that day in whatever I'm going through. Application to life is what makes Bible Study so much FUN, isn't it?
The best way to get the most out of this is to open your own Bible and read the verse or verses and look for the KEY words and "meditate" or "chew" on those words yourself BEFORE you read how God has blessed me with them.
I would love to hear some of your thoughts and how God is applying them to your life as well today!
Originally I walked through whole Psalms, and it seemed like God kept bringing circumstances in my life to line up exactly with the verse for the day. It was amazing! But then we DO have an amazing God! :) Don't we?
This morning I'm thinking about the "narrow way"....
And wondering just HOW narrow this is....
Thinking maybe it is more narrow than we even realize.
There is this old log that fell a few years ago in an ice storm, I think. The bark is mostly peeled off now, and this is my favoriteplace to pray. I walk the log while I pray. :)
Well, several times I have slipped on this log. This morning there was a gentle, summer rain...so I took off my shoes and walked the log in the rain. :) I knew very well that I MUST be VERY careful. Well, I did slip several times, but I didn't fall or
anything....PTL! :)
The Lord brought to my mind how desperately "slippery" it is to live in this 21st century world. So many temptations....so many fiery darts from the enemy....so many places where we could easily slip and fall and get off the "narrow path". I indeed believe we are in atime of "deception" where even so called "Christians" could easily encourage us in the wrong way and cause us to "slip and fall".
As I walked this wet log this morning in the rain, I realized that we as 21st century Christians cannot just "skip along this log of life". We must be very careful where we step and how we step.
I can't get this passage off my mind. :)
I went through and looked up each of the words in Strong's. Some of the interesting definitions that I think we (at least I do) as conservative Christians need to be aware of are:
Lovers of their own selves (fond of self-i.e. selfish)
Proud (appearing above others)
Unholy (don't have a definition here, but what is "unholiness? It is more than just dressing immodestly, going to the wrong places, listening to the wrong things, etc. It is a matter of the heart.)
Would love to hear YOUR definition of "holiness" and "unholiness". :)
Without natural affection (hard-hearted toward kindred)
False accusers (slanderers)
Incontinent (without self-control...thinking of fellowship dinners and sweets here)
Highminded (...inflate with self-conceit - be lifted up with pride)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Any of us could be guilty of some of these things in this list and could be easily shunned by others. I think we always need to remember that even if a brother or sister is caught in one of these sins...even if it is a besetting one, that if their attitude is one of true sorrow and repentance and desire to overcome, that we need to be patient and help them along with prayer and encouragement.
The whole list, including the things I didn't mention, though, seem to be very characteristic of many of the worldly churches of our day....with no understanding of truth or repentance for these sins. If a whole church or denomination tends to carry these characteristics, should we be a part of a church like this?
The most interesting part of the passage, I think, is "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God". I think this is IT in a nutshell.
When I looked up the word "pleasure", it said, "a spurious brother, i.e. pretended associate:- false brethren".
Interesting, huh?
I wanted to elaborate a little more on this "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God". I think we can be so concerned about our work, our families, etc. that even THIS sometimes becomes our pleasure...and something that we put ahead of God. We must be careful.
"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in DARKNESS, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we WALK IN THE LIGHT, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." I Jn. 1:6-7
What does it mean to walk in darkness?
What does it mean to walk in the light?
When I looked up the word "darkness" in Strong's, it used the words "dimness" and "obscurity". This made me think of what it's like at twilight. It's not clearly dark yet, but it is certainly getting there. It's not "black" or "white"; it's gray!
We know what are clearly the "DARK" things...things that are definitely WRONG.
But here it seems to me that even those things we aren't quite sure about...the "gray areas" are really in DARKNESS. What do you think????
I thought some of the definitions of "light" were very interesting, too....."to shine or make manifest...rays...luminousness."
We are to SHINE....to be a light....to always be a POSITIVE influence for GOOD.
Let us walk in what is clearly LIGHT...and be a witness to others!
From a sermon by Dr. Spense...
"The pure in heart shall SEE God. If there is no purity, there is 'FOG'."
If we want to understand God's Word and what it means and not be "blind", we need to work on purity and full surrender to God. Yes?
Another quote by Spense (basically)...
Heb. 12:14-
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"
We must follow peace and holiness! But "don't let peace cause compromise..... because you have to pursue holiness, too! Holiness.....that is the protection of following peace with all men!"
Would love to hear your comments on these quotes. :)
I heard a message awhile back that talked about how our thoughts are very important....for what we think we will become. If we want to become godly people, then we need to be thinking thoughts of God.
Of course we know this, but it just really made me stop and think
once again....
Meditation on the Word is so important...
Our "family devotion" this morning was from II Peter 2. It's the passage that talks about false teachers and such... I think there are many false teachers in the church these days...
Spiritual Deception and Apostacy are here. Would you agree?
One of the main "false teachings" in Christianity is a Christianity that is devoid of the teachings of sanctification and holiness. It seems that most people don't focus on holiness as Heb.12:14 says we should. Do you find this to be true?
The verse that really stuck out to me from II Pet. 2 was verse 7... " And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked..."
The word "vexed" means "to labor down, i.e. wear with toil (fig. harass) :-oppress, vex."
Verse 8 says, "(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
"Vexed" in this verse means "to torture:-pain, toil, torment, toss, vex".
Interesting definition.... :)
This is how I feel sometimes when I overhear "Christian rock" music...
Or when I get a glimpse of a section of movie...
The Spirit within me does not "bear witness" with such...It grieves me terribly.The irreverence and the worldliness of such is a "torment" to my spirit. Do any of you feel this way?
Have you ever done a "music fast"? I have heard it said that if we were to do a total "music fast" for awhile...and then perhaps bring out some of the stuff we have heard before, we would feel "shocked".....
"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;" I Pet. 4:1
Having the same mind as Christ...
A willingness to suffer...
A ceasing from sin in the sense that we are truly surrendered...
We think of Christ's physical sufferings and can often share with Him in this way...
We think of the sufferings of persecution, too, and the scriptures say that a godly person SHALL suffer persecution....
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." II Tim. 3:12
Are we suffering for our faith?
I've been thinking recently also about all the mental and emotional pain that Christ suffered...the emotional pain of his best friends forsaking him, the emotional pain of separation from the Father He loved, etc....
Emotional pain is difficult..."Hurts" that come from those we love the most here on earth are the hardest to bear...Family and friends who hurt us with their words and actions...This is PAIN indeed!
But Jesus understands the pain...
And we are sharing in His sufferings when we have this kind of deep,emotional pain, too...
We are to have the SAME MIND as Christ....a willingness to suffer for truth....a willingness to go deep with God although we may be going it all alone...a willingness to suffer the "hurts" when there is lack of spiritual oneness....
It says in this verse that we are to "arm" ourselves with the same mind as Christ. The word "arm" means "to equip with weapons", and this makes me think of the spiritual warfare of Eph. 6:11-18....
"girt about with truth....the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, ...helmet of salvation...the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God....
And above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."
I often think of this shield of faith....It's so easy to misplace or lose it in the midst of battle, but it's the thing that will quench the fiery darts. Praise the Lord! Let's take it up again if we've lost it!
I know this passage is usually taken literally, but I like to look at it spiritually. Please forgive me if my interpretation is stretching
it a little, but this is how it spoke to me today. :)
Although the fig tree shall not blossom.... (The church here in America is not blossoming spiritually...and is seems that very few seem to be much
interested in spiritual things.)
Neither shall fruit be in the vine... (Where is the "fruit" and the zeal in Christian's lives? We all seem to be so dead....)
The labor of the olive fail... ( Olive oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Where is the real power of the Holy Spirit in our lives! How
I long for real revival!)
And the field shall yield no meat... (Where are the Christians who are dining on the "meat of the Word" and sharing it with others daily?)
The flock shall be cut off from the fold... ( Growing apostacy....Professing Christians who are turning to the world.)
And there shall be no herd in the stalls.... (Very few Christians I know who are seeking true holiness and "feeding at Jesus' feet"
daily....in the stalls.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Yet maybe I shall find a number of ya'll reading here????? I hope so...because I need encouragement, too...to stay in the Word. :)
Let us stir ourselves to be in the Word daily and to share our "meditations" with one another! :)
"For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Heb. 7:26
Jesus obviously met with sinners and talked with them, yet he was undefiled and "separate" from them.
When I'm around people who curse and swear and do "dirty" things and use dirty language and dress disgustingly, I FEEL defiled. But not as much so if I am positively there to talk to them and help them towards the Savior. I wonder if that's how we KEEP ourselves from being defiled in such a situation? So is this why most movies are totally DEFILING? Because we would be "communing" with the sinners in the movie, yet there is no way to make a positive influence/witness for the Savior in such a situation.
"Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." I Tim. 4:15-16
I think the progression here is interesting. In being able to truly help someone spiritually, the first step is "meditation" in the Word.
"Meditate" means "to take care of - revolve in the mind..."
REVOLVE IN THE MIND....
Think through the issues. Ask the questions. Search for answers. Meditate!
Then...give thyself WHOLLY to the scriptures! WHOLLY...COMPLETELY! Let God and His Word be your LIFE! Let it CHANGE your life! :)
Why? So that thy PROFITING (i.e. progress, advancement in the kingdom of God) will appear to all. So that others will SEE that the scriptures are changing your life and making you a holy person!
And the EXAMPLE of a life lived with true and holy doctrine....the example of a life lived saturated and changed by the holy Word of God....will change the lives of others, too! Amen!
I was reading in Ezekiel today....
20:7..."Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt..."
23:39..."...they had slain their children to their idols..."
That last verse there really stuck out to me this morning...
People have idols of various sorts including movies/T.V./music, etc. and they have stumbled their children...
SLAIN their children to their IDOLS....
May God have mercy on the little ones....
Have your life in God....not in people!......
Something I need to remember.....
But it is so hard going alone at times...
I've been discouraged in the past as there aren't many people that really want to talk about spiritual things. It use to grieve me so much...as I shared and shared my "meditations" but rarely was anyone really interested.
There is a difference between talking theology and talking "walk with God". I want to talk with people about their walk with God and how He is holding them and helping them and ministering to them. But very few people talk much about their "walk with God". Maybe it's because they don't really have much of one???
I use to grieve so... that we could hear a good sermon and then afterwards everyone would be talking about football or recipes or schooling or whatever else under the sun...but not about the sermon or about the Lord....or about what God was doing in their lives. :(
Would love to hear from you if you like to talk about the Lord and how the Word is changing your life! :)
"My soul FOLLOWETH HARD after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me." Ps. 63:8
"That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest CLEAVE UNTO HIM: FOR HE IS THY LIFE...." Deut. 30:19
He is our only hope....yes, indeed our only LIFE...and reason for living!
The words "followeth hard" and "cleave" in these verses are the same hebrew word which means "i.e. CLING or adhere- (fig.) to catch by pursuit:....follow close...be joined (together)....
Reminds me of the book by Tozer entitled, "The Pursuit of God"....
We are UPHELD by His right hand...or we couldn't follow hard after Him at all.
But can we say today that we are CLINGING onto Him for dear life?
Is our heart GLUED to HIM? Are our thoughts caught up with thinking about Him and His Word? Are we on "fire" for Him...or are our minds dull and distracted?
Oh, for the grace to CLING HARD!!!!
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them." Deut. 22:27
This verse has been so special to me! I see the enemy of our souls, Satan,
throwing his darts left and right....and God reaching out one by one and
catching the fiery darts one by one and breaking them and throwing them to the ground where they won't hurt me AT ALL. :)
I Tim. 6:11-12 says, "...O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, GODLINESS, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life..."
The Strong's definition of GODLINESS includes the ideas of "devout, piety, well-reverent".
The definition from the Webster's 1828 dictionary says "devout" is "yielding a solemn and reverential attention to God in religious exercise, particularly in prayer."
I thought that was very interesting! Prayer is an important ingredient of godliness....
"Piety in principle is a compound of veneration or reverence of the Supreme Being accompanied with love; and piety in practice is the exercise of these affections in obedience to his will and devotion to his service."
The Puritans use to talk a lot about piety, but it seems like the subject is rarely talked about today, and I think it's very much lacking in people's lives, too. I think it's something most of us need to really work on....
I Tim. 4:7 says we are to "exercise (ourselves) in godliness. Exercise implies training and DISCIPLINE. It's difficult to discipline ourselves in spiritual exercises like consistent meditation and prayer, but we are commanded to do it.
"...to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in this sight:..." Col. 1:22
This is indeed the main reason God allows us to go through struggles, trials, questionings, etc. All of what we go through is for His one main purpose....to make us like Christ....to make us HOLY.
Wow!
If we can "step back" and look at our life from that perspective, it all of a sudden doesn't look quite so scary, does it?
Meditating on this....
"And LET the peace of God rule in your hearts..." Col.3:15
Because Christ has saved me, I have peace with HIM....and He has given me His PEACE. But I don't always appropriate it....
I was just so impressed by this verse.....I am to LET the PEACE of God RULE in my heart...
I must make a conscious effort to let that peace reign in my heart.
I am to be diligent to be found IN PEACE....always.....to STAY in PEACE....by His grace. Wow!
It's all a matter of trust. If I'm really TRUSTING in Him to physically and spiritually protect my children/husband, then I won't get uptight and worried. I'll just remain IN PEACE, trusting God to take care of them.
This verse yesterday, too, was such an encouragment to me.
"Acquaint now thyself with HIM, and BE AT PEACE: thereby good shall come unto thee.
WOW! What a promise! If we ACQUAINT ourselves with HIM...if we REALLY KNOW HIM, we'll be at peace...and good will happen.
Ah....I need to run harder after God so that that PEACE RULES in my heart at ALL TIMES. Amen!
Speaking of Christ, Is. 59:17 says, "For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with ZEAL as a cloak."
ZEAL.....
This just caught my attention... I want to have the ZEAL of Christ. Do you?
Heb. 11:6 says that "he is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY seek him."
The word "diligently" means "to search out....CRAVE...worship...seek after."
I want to have a heart like this! :)Do you?
"..be diligent that ye may be found of him in PEACE, without spot and blameless."
Just had to stop and meditate on being IN PEACE.
I know I have peace with God because He washed me with His own blood.
I have peace WITH Him...
But the question is "Am I always IN PEACE?"
I am to be diligent that I may be found of him IN PEACE.
Only by KNOWING that I'm His and that He has all things under control...
Only by KNOWING that I'm safe in His arms...no matter what happens to me and to my family, my children... Only then can I really be found of him IN PEACE.
I want to really and truly have that perfect PEACE at all times, and I'm not quite there yet.
I guess that's why I keep getting trials thrown my way. God wants to bring me to a perfect place of peace, in spite of what happens.
The verse also says "without spot and BLAMELESS". Our goal should be that nobody anywhere would be able to point a finger and say that we are sinning. Wow!
Fornication - Does this also include the "beginnings" of it in our minds and in our words, dress, and actions as well as any forms of affection that might start the process?
Uncleanness
Covetousness
Filthiness
Foolish Talking (What about this one?)
Jesting (What about this one?)
These are the things this passage says should NEVER characterize a Christian!
Verse 6 says "Let no man DECEIVE you..."
How easily we can be deceived through the arts and the media!
Verse 6 goes on to say "for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."
It's serious business, sisters, and verse 7 says... "Be NOT ye therefore PARTAKERS with them."
Be with these sorts of people to share the gospel with them and to be a positive influence for God and his holiness....but not to PLAY or be ENTERTAINED with them or BY them.
Verse 11 says "And have NO FELLOWSHIP with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE them.
Sometimes this means sharing the Word lovingly. Sometimes it might mean walking away...even from the T.V......
The word "fellowship" means "To share company with....."Also the word comes from a word that means "spec. to ENTERTAIN...+accompany".
If we are watching them sin and being entertained by it, are we not having fellowship with them?
But our admonition is to reprove....and to...
"Walk as children of LIGHT!" (v. 8)
Amen!
"...Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. 5:14
If we want more light, we must rise up out of our "sleepy state" and obey what we already know.
"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by REASON OF USE have their senses exercised to DISCERN both good and evil.(Heb. 5:14)
If we USE the "light" that is GIVEN...if we OBEY what we already know...then we will DISCERN good and evil. We will be given more LIGHT!
I Jn. 4:1,3,5 and searching questions....
"Beloved, BELIEVE NOT every spirit, but TRY the spirits whether they are of God...because many FALSE PROPHETS are gone out into the world...and this is that spirit of antichrist...They are of the world: therefore SPEAK THEY OF THE WORLD, and the WORLD HEARETH THEM."
There is a "spirit" in the music we listen to, the movies, the books and articles we see and read, the news we listen to!
How do we TRY the "spirits" there to see if they are OF GOD?
False prophets and the "spirit" of ANTI-CHRIST" is everywhere!
If music, movies, books, news ,etc. LEAVE OUT Christ, then it has the spirit of ANTI-CHRIST, does it not?
Christ is not the focus. Christ is not there! It is ANTI-Christ!
Is it really possible to be just "secular" or "neutral"?
What are the TESTS here in these verses?
1. Does it "speak" of the WORLD?
2. Does the WORLD "hear" it?
If so, is it not a FALSE PROPHET...a worldly one?
Should we not stay away from it? For it is a LYING spirit set out to DECEIVE us and drag us far from Christ...
And I might add...Is God specifically glorified through it? Here's an example: Yesterday I listened to a family singing group that sang songs with distinctive Christian words, words that touched my heart so that I found myself in tears, crying out to God and worshiping Him. Humility characterizes their performances, and the praise goes to God, not to them...
Consider every other performer, actor, writer that is NOT like this....
Can we say that anything is neutral? Is it positively FOR Christ? If not, is it not ANTI-Christ?
If it "speaks" of the WORLD, and the WORLD "hears" it, aren't these the "warning signs" to stay away from it?
Searching Questions....
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) PROVING what is ACCEPTABLE unto the Lord. Eph. 5:9-10
What is one of the tests to know if something is ACCEPTABLE to the Lord? The fruit of the Spirit! :)
Does it promote LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance? (Gal. 5:22-23)
Does it hurt you physically, mentally, emotionally, SPIRITUALLY?
Does it hurt someone else physically, mentally emotionally, SPIRITUALLY?
Does it "stumble" you or someone else?
Does it promote LOVE as well as the rest of the fruits of the Spirit?
If not, it's not love....
The fruit of the Spirit...is a TEST...to PROVE what is ACCEPTABLE unto the Lord.
Was reading Eph. 5:5 this morning, and it says "...no... covetous man, who is an IDOLATER, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." I just wonder how many Americans are going to be surprised when they don't make it to heaven when they THOUGHT they were Christians? I Cor. 5 talks about the covetous man also...as one who needs to have "church discipline". How do we make that judgment? What exactly IS a covetous person?
The definition includes "desiring more"..... I think we as Americans ALL need to meditate on this one. :)
www.freefoto.com
"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I WILL SEARCH Jerusalem with CANDLES, and punish the men that are SETTLED ON THEIR LEES: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil." Zeph.1:12
Shallowness, No Deep Affection, INDIFFERENCE!
God hates these things! God will search our hearts! His light will be like a candle...and will search out our innermost feelings....
Are we cold? Are we indifferent? Are we settled on our "lees"?
Searching questions!
This makes me think of Ez. 33:31... "They hear thy words, but they will not DO them: for with their MOUTH they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their COVETEOUSNESS."
I want to take Barnabas' words to heart from Acts. 11:23... "That with PURPOSE OF HEART (I) would CLEAVE unto the Lord!" And you? Amen!
`
"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." Eph. 4:8
The ascension of Christ is very important...and without it we have no salvation! As he ascended to the Father, he led "captivity captive."
We who are saved by His grace were once "prisoners of sin". We were the "captivity" that He led captive.
He CAPTURED OUR HEARTS! Praise His name!
Has He captured YOUR heart? Really and truly?
Do people KNOW that? Can they tell by what occupies our minds and what we talk about?
This verse also says He gave GIFTS to us! Ah, yes....so many gifts! Are you thankful for the gift of FAITH that He gave you, if you are indeed saved?
And what about these gifts?
Rest...Mt. 11:28
Keys of the Kingdom...Mt.16:19
Power over evil spirits...Lk. 10:19
Living water...Jn. 4:14
Bread of Heaven...Jn. 6:5
Eternal Life...Jn. 10:28
Legacy of Peace...Jn. 14;27, rev. 2:26,28; Rev. 21:6
BTW, I got that list from my Thompson's chain reference Bible, and it was a blessing to me to look up and read the verses. Maybe you would like to also. :)
There are many other gifts of the Father as well...our material possessions, our family and friends, our talents, our spiritual gifts, etc.!
But the questions that came to my mind were... "Do I love Him for His gifts?" Or...."Do I love Him....with or without the gifts?"
"Do I love HIM.....or do I just love Him for His GIFTS?"
If and when God ever puts us in a place when we have NO GIFTS left...like he did Job...will we STILL love HIM?
"But Christ as a son over his own house; whose HOUSE are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Heb. 3:6 Wow!
IF....IF....IF we hold fast unto the end, we are his HOUSE...the building and temple of the Lord! This is truly the EVIDENCE that we are part of his HOUSE....IF we hold fast.
Another verse that goes along with these is I Pet. 2:5... "Ye also, as LIVELY stones, are built up a SPIRITUAL HOUSE, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."
The word "LIVELY" really catches my attention! God wants LIVELY stones! He wants us to be zealous for Him! Yes! YES! :) LIVELY STONES!
""Who when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with PURPOSE OF HEART they would CLEAVE unto the Lord." Acts 11:23
"Cleave" means "to glue to...i.e. (fig.) to adhere.
The word is from another word in Greek-#2853 which means "to stick (fig.).....KEEP COMPANY."
I like that! We are to KEEP COMPANY with Jesus.
We are to STICK to Him...to "glue" ourselves to Him. We are to always stay close by His side!
That's how we can save ourselves from this "warped generation".
It was interesting that the sermon yesterday was on Eph. 1...right where I've been meditating. :)
Loved what he said about... "And hath RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and made us sit together in heavenly places...."
There are many ways God raises UP....
out of fear and doubt,
out of discouragement and loneliness.
and God raises us UP....UP....UP... out of worldliness....away from the world and it's ways of thinking...away from it's "glitter" and false happiness...UP to heavenly thoughts and ways.
The word "together" stands out as well. True Christians are raised UP TOGETHER.... We are God's building...His holy temple... "In whom (we) also are builded TOGETHER for an habitation of God through the Spirit." We NEED one another!
"Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the MIND; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Eph.2:3
Am just reminded today that sin is not only what we do...but what we THINK!
Ouch!
Lack of faith and hope....lack of peace, complaining spirit....fear.....
Sins of the MIND...
Lord, deliver us!
"By this we know that we love the children of GOd, WHEN we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." I Jn. 5:2-3
How do we love others?
By keeping God's commandments....
Holding onto what is right and true although everyone around us is NOT "holding onto what is right and true"....is LOVE.
KEEPING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS=LOVE!
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to FEAR; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. 8:15
We serve not out of fear, but out of LOVE.
We cry, ABBA, FATHER....because we know He loves us!
In thinking about GRACE, I came across this definition in Strong's.
Greek 5485....
"The divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life."
"According as he hath CHOSEN us (in Him) before the foundation of the world, that we should be HOLY and WITHOUT BLAME before him in love." Eph. 1:4
I love that "in Him"! We were chosen IN HIM. When God looks down, he sees Christ, and if we are there in HIS HAND, covered by HIS BLOOD, then we are holy and blameless in His sight...because He sees Christ. We were CHOSEN.....but it was only IN HIM.
We were CHOSEN, too, that we should be HOLY AND BLAMELESS....
That's the goal...
Positionally in Christ we are already "holy and blameless" if we are saved.....but the goal is that we are even now daily to become more and more sanctified, holy and blameless, like Christ, the One in whose hands we rest.
I was just so impressed this morning about the importance of truly becoming holy...with love, with peace, and with diligence.
Heb. 12:14 says,"Follow peace with all men and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord."
This is such a solemn verse to me! We MUST be holy if we are going to see God someday!
