Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Me: Good afternoon, Jesus!
Jesus: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Tell me more about this passage?
Jesus: Let’s continue, shall we?
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.
Matthew 11:29-30
Me: You have borne the weight of all the sins of all the world for all time. Or, should I say, “are bearing” instead of, “have borne”? How can you say, “My burden is light”?
Jesus: My burden is light for you if you are in the yoke with Me. I have, and I Am bearing the load. Do not miss the charge to learn of Me. The wisdom of the world is not like My Wisdom.
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
James 3:13-18
The wisdom of earth is based on the senses. Seeing is believing, the scientific method, and so forth. On the dark side, there is delusion, propaganda, lies and deception. These things masquerade as wisdom, when they are anything but. Examples go back to near the beginning.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 3:6
Note that Eve was deciding based on physical sight. The wisdom she was sold was a mirage. She already had access to the wisdom that is full of mercy. You can recognize wisdom that I give. It is first pure. No strife, no confusion, no conflicting accounts. When it comes from Me, it comes with a sense of peace, down in your spirit. Only don’t let fear lurking in the mind mask the peace I send to accompany wisdom from above. The rest of those characteristics listed in James 3 are important as well.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
Me: Thank You Jesus! I am grateful for Your wisdom and Your Peace! I love You!
But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 4:15
Truth without love is harsh and grating. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Love without truth is at least misdirected and without power. Many serious errors are, even now, being promulgated under the banner of “love”. Thus, “love”, absent guiding truth, is not really love but merely fallible human sentiment. (1 Timothy 4:1)
But together! Truth wrapped in love, that is a different matter!
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.
2 Timothy 1:13-14
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Galatians 5:5-6
I am grateful for the loving work of the indwelling Spirit in enabling faith and hope by faith!
Me: Good morning, Jesus!
Jesus: Good morning, Jon!
Me: Thank You for this good word of Paul to Timothy as a reminder that the Holy Spirit is keeping the truth in us and enabling us to hold on when the whole world is overrun by error and even outright lies spoken from places of human “authority”.
Jesus: Here is another passage that pertains to the battle My followers are engaged in:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
War after the flesh is marked by fear and death and malice. War in the Spirit is characterized by the power of speaking the truth in love. Vanities do need to be destroyed, but the aim is reconciliation.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:14-16
The first thing is aligning (bounding, constraining) your own thoughts to My thoughts. This is My example:
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:19
I have seen to it that you have the written word.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:16
I have set the Holy Spirit, the very power of God, to be in you and to help you.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you.
John 16:12-14
The battle is first personal. The world will not be helped by “followers” who are off the path. Do not be misled. You are called to speak the Truth. Remember that I Am the Truth.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Romans 12:3
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
John 7:2-5
Me: Thank You Jesus! I thank you for all these aspects of Your help! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you! I remind you of your commission. Do not become so introspective that you neglect others.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.
I am grateful for the week to rest and seek to grow deeper in my relationship with You!
Me: Good afternoon, Jesus!
Jesus: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: You are awesome beyond compare! Despite my tendency to focus on myself, You are endlessly faithful. Your mercy is great and Your love is obvious in that You gave Yourself in our place to the cruel death that would be just punishment for us. You are innocent of all wrong. I am not. Yet you have exchanged Your innocence for my penalty and my penalty for Your innocence. I recognize that time does not constrain you in the way that it does flesh. All eternity is present and open before You. I do not see how that would exclude the cross and the shame of my own transgressions. Let me shy away from every sin that I might not heap up more of my guilt for You to have to bear.
I do have a question for you. (Don’t I always?)
Jesus: Yes?
Me: I have heard several speak this week about the principle of “tacit approval”. (I think that was the way Bill Federer put it). He brought out a number of scriptures that dealt with the idea that the failure to object is taken as complicity or approval in law and that the principle derives from scripture. I know one scripture that he used was in Numbers 30; that if a woman still under her father’s authority made a vow and her father heard of it and failed to veto it – kept silent – then her vow would stand. Likewise with a woman and her husband. However, if the father or husband objected, then the woman would be innocent of the vow before You.
I think he also spoke of a duty to reprove. Here is an example where you have deferred Your reproval and yet make it clear that it is coming.
Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
Psalm 50:20-22
Mr. Federer did talk of the passage that tells us to take the log out of our own eye before attempting to remove the spec of sawdust from our brother’s eye. And, of course, we all have our own sin.
So, my question is, what is our responsibility to call out the sin among us? You have given us free will to do the very things in question, things that grieve You when they are done.
Jesus: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Luke 6:31). Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4).
I remind you Bill used this passage from Proverbs:
If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Proverbs 24:11-12
Are not those walking in habitual or intentional sin, who do not know Me, being drawn unto death? One who loves with My love will earnestly seek to point them to Me. If they refuse, it is upon their own head.
You know of the so-called “live and let live” philosophy. It supposes that the misdeeds of another are none of your concern. A better approach is to live and help live, if you are seeking to draw near to Me and the other will allow your exhortation. I will also point out that much of what you hear of is not within your sphere of influence. There is plenty, however, that is.
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love You! I pray that You will help me to have Your heart toward all.
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you! All that I Am working in you is toward transforming your heart in My love.
I am grateful that You have redeemed those of us who have accepted your gift of salvation, that in our spirit we are all that the scripture says we are.
Keep the heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23
A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones.
Proverbs 14:30
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
– Proverbs 23
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Can you help me understand these references to the heart? How does the heart relate to the spirit, to the mind, our will, even our emotions? After all, we have the expression, “I love you with all my heart!” There seem to be lots of opinions out there. What do You say?
Abba: Here are some New Testament scriptures to look at to go with the proverbs you have quoted:
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Corinthians 1
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4
So, you see, the heart contains the earnest (awareness) of the Spirit. Your born-again spirit is sealed (kept, preserved, protected) by My indwelling Spirit. You mentioned at the start the common understanding of emotions as being in the domain of the heart.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:5
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Psalm 139:23
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Matthew 15:19
This verse in Hebrews 4 shows you two things. First, thoughts and Intents (plans, will, desires) are in the domain of the heart. Second, My word helps you sort these questions out.
Here is something else you might meditate on:
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Matthew 12:34
Even as My words tell you what is in My heart, so do yours.
Here is another example of My Heart:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 3:14-21
And one example concerning My Will:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Me: Thank You Father! These are awesome assurances! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you!
Grapic mine. Needs more development, as it is hard to depict these relationships.
sixteenth in a series about what the Bible has to say about health and healing. (Originally posted one number shy.) This entry is shared from my personal journal. The focus is mostly on a chapter in 1 John that deals with love. Believe me when I tell you that our ability to have faith for divine healing is directly impacted by our connection to the love of God.
I am grateful for Your endless love! I am grateful for your ample provision! I am grateful for Your presence! I am grateful for Your Healing! I am grateful for the heart-change You enable! I am grateful for the victory You have won over our darkness! I am grateful for Your continual leading! I am grateful for Your goodness! I am grateful that You are the Truth!
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God. 8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12 No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loves God loves his brother also.
1 John 4:7-21
Me: Good afternoon, Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: This passage in 1 John rightly (of course) gives place to Your unimaginable Gift of Jesus who has borne our sin and its consequence, will we only humble ourselves to accept Your Life, including Your power to resist the enemy. How ridiculous to cling to flawed self-will for one second, instead of constantly coming to You through Jesus. You know the propensity of the human heart to ignore what it doesn’t want to see because it is protecting selfish motives. You know how I have indulged those!
Anyway, what I was getting to, is that the Gift of the Savior is icing on a large cake. I am thinking of all the ways that You show Your love, right down to providing air to fill our lungs and food and water to sustain our physical lives. You gave us the written word to help us learn to know the Word. You have sent Your Holy Spirit to indwell us that we would be blessed with Your guidance and power from within. How You bless us!
Abba: There is this: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32
Me: Father, one of the things I want to talk with You about in this passage are revealed by these sentences:
If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:12(b)
The corollary is troubling. If we don’t love one another, You don’t dwell in us.
He that loves not, knows not God.
1 John 4:8(a)
And,
If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar.
1 John 4:20(a)
Abba: This is not something a person can work up on their own. All these instances of the word “love” are derived from the Greek agape. Meaning, it is My love. It is in you by My Spirit. I Am the one who perfects it in you (vv 12&13). That is why John can assert that if My agape is not at work in you, then it is sure that I Am not in you.
I Am love. I Am Holy. I hate every corruption and every evil thing. (1 John 4:8, Psalm 45:7, Hebrews 1:9, Psalm 97:10, Amos 5:15, Romans 12:9, Psalm 119:104, Psalm 101:3).
Even the clear statement that identifies absence of My love in one’s life is given in love, that that one might turn to Me and be redeemed!
Love is not OK with the works of the devil who comes to steal and kill and destroy (1 John 3:8). Those who carry out his schemes (even completely willingly) are deceived. I have told you what to do about that.
And he himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed about by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with reference to the scheming of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him with reference to all things, who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined together and held together by every supporting ligament, according to the working by measure of each single part, the growth of the body makes for the building up of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Did you notice Jesus’ compassion in Matthew 14:14 in healing the sick? His love has not changed. If My love is at work in you, as it was at work in Him, will not the same works be accomplished by My love? Did not Jesus tell you as much in John 14:12?
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:12
He went on to say that He would send the Holy Spirit to enable in you the things He calls you to do. John was repeating that promise from Jesus in 1 John 4:13.
Faith works by love.
Galatians 5:6(b)
Me: Thank You Father! Thank You for Your tremendous blessings! I love You!
A continuing series considering what the Scripture has to say about healing.
21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
from the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5
I hope our attention was focused last time on the beginning verses in Mark chapter 5, in which Jesus delivered a man seriously beset by demons. Crossing back across the Sea of Galilee to “the other side” a crowd soon gathered, presumably alerted to Jesus’ presence by word of mouth. No larger than the lake is, the sail would have been visible for a most or all the distance of the trip.
Note: On 2/17/2023 a postscript was added to the previous post concerning the location named in Mark compared to the other Gospel accounts.
We aren’t told exactly where this return landing on the Sea of Galilee occurred, though in Mark chapter six we are told that Jesus proceeded from his encounters recorded Mark 5 to “His own country”. I presume that He was bound for Nazareth, where His family still lived. A major road in that direction ran southwest from Magdala on the western shore. In Mark 6 we have an account of the town folk taking up an offense at Jesus because they had seen him grow up in their midst, which they assumed made Him just like them and unqualified to make the claims He was making. Some think this landing was at Capernaum on the North end of the Sea. Jesus did adopt Capernaum as home base after the religious officials drove Him from Nazareth (Matthew 13, Mark 6, Luke 4).
In the crowd that came to meet Jesus was Jairus, a synagogue official who had a very sick daughter. He told Jesus that the girl was at the point of death. But the next words that crossed Jairus’ lips were words of faith in the ability of Jesus to heal the girl. We need to remember how Jairus’ used his mouth. He did not deny the situation, but neither did he pronounce that the current state was the last word.
Today, however, we are going to look at a parenthetical (!) healing – a healing on the way to a healing. Even as Jesus agreed to go to Jairus’ house and the crowd came along, a woman in the crowd approached Jesus for healing (Vv24-34).
We see this woman had an issue of blood twelve years. There are known maladies which might cause such, but no effort to diagnose is made here, as the cause is not relevant (other than it was not from above), and I am not qualified to do more than speculate as to cause. There were, however, strict laws concerning such issue of bodily fluids (Leviticus 15) and this woman would have been shunned in Jewish society. She would not have been allowed to be in the press of this crowd. Anyone she touched would have been considered “unclean” according to those laws. We are also told the woman had already spent all her substance seeking a cure of physicians and was only worse. Isn’t the situation largely the same today, for those afflicted with any chronic condition?
Note the faith expressed by the woman to press into the crowd to carry out her mission to merely touch Jesus’ hem! Also, interesting that she immediately felt different. Whether this was a change in physical sensation or satisfaction of belief might not be clear. Jesus felt it too, though she likely did not touch His person. When He asked, “Who touched My clothes?”, the disciples chided Jesus for even asking, since many were obviously touching Him in the throng. She trembled with fear to make a public admission of her healing, likely due to long years of suffering public disdain in addition to her physical symptoms. Perhaps part of her trembling was at the recognition that she was clearly in the presence of God. Remember those under the old Covenant had not the familiarity of adoption as we have now (Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 4:16).
I believe there were multiple reasons that Jesus called her out. Foremost is that physical healing isn’t all she needed. Jesus called her “daughter”. How high a leap from “untouchable outcast”! How near the new Covenant! He declared peace over her. How long since she had known it! He publicly commended her faith and pronounced her healed.
Some might think Jesus’ question rhetorical. I believe it was an honest question. He did not know at first who had drawn power from Him. Though He could have sought the answer in the Spirit. Had Jesus not made an issue of addressing the woman, we would not have this miraculous account to inform us of the importance of faith and of persistence in it.
A third reason for Jesus making this public is that the woman’s vocalization of her healing served to cement its manifestation in her experience, ensuring she could hold on to it. Chronic illnesses are troublesome in that they are so… familiar to us. Their continual presence tends to foment unbelief that anything else is possible. Praise the Lord that though with men things are impossible, with God all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26)
After the cross, we benefit from the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah: By His stripes we are healed (v53:5). But Jesus had not yet gone to the cross, though the time was near. Were these healings demonstrations that Jesus is not constrained by time? Hmmmm… certainly something to muse about! There were obviously healing episodes in the Old Testament, usually involving one of the prophets. Those were clearly foreshadowing the loving work of Jesus, purchasing us back from the bondage to sin and its consequence.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3
First things first. Paul is speaking to those who have joined God’s family by accepting the sacrifice Jesus made for us at the cross as efficacious for bringing us in. The world refers to us as Christians. Jesus knows us as family. We know Him as awesome! If that doesn’t describe you, just ask Him to help you begin that journey. If I have learned anything of Him, it is that He is faithful and that His offering of Himself to pay the sin-debt that we have accrued is a finished work.
When this passage speaks of the riches of His glory, does that resonate? Have you considered the endless expanse of the heavens on a cold winter night when untold suns twinkle from unimaginable distances? Have you considered that by His breath, He uttered “let there be”, and they were? Have you seen the reflection of the moon on the sea, shattered in sight into a thousand shards by the waves? Have you watched the tides progress by their lunar timetable? Have you listened and wondered at the whisper of wind carrying the sent of pines? Seen the glint of trout in clear mountain stream? Have you ever peered into a microscope at any of the universe too small for unaided human eyes to behold? Do you feel the tug of gravity? Have you considered the pull of every particle of creation on every other? Have you marveled that no corpuscle of matter exists alone? Do you note that it is by His power that all these things hold together (Colossians 1:17)? Have you comprehended that a lifetime of contemplating His majesty will not scratch the surface?
This. This is the One, who by His Spirit strengthens the believer in his inner man, who places in the ones who will accept Him, the very Spirit of Christ! To dwell, no less; to be at home.
The passage makes it clear that we walk in this truth by faith in Him and in this promise. Though we are indwelt/born again in our spirit by His Spirit. Our minds are still full of doubt and in need of an extreme makeover. We are called to participate in a transformation, in a renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23). We need to immerse ourselves in His Word (John 1:1), recognizing its truth until we are liberated (John 8:32). We must be set free from that we have believed that is not true; about ourselves, about others, and primarily, about Him.
Does that seem like an insurmountable task? That is why this passage tells us whose power is at work. Not our power, but His. Once you get this, you will see that the length and breadth and height spoken of in verse 18 of Ephesians 3 dwarf the inestimable dimensions of the universe that we peer into on those clear nights.
Christmas Cactus in November
In the beginning, in the garden, the temptation was to self-determination, rather than focus on the desire of our Maker. We have centuries of evidence of the results of that decision. If we know God for who He is, we can’t fail to recognize how that choice was made in the shadow of deception and how deluded one is to hold to it now. Praise be to God, in Jesus we have redemption and a way back (recovery)!
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 17:14
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
Revelation 19:11-16
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8
Are these statements about the nature and character of God incongruous?
Many persons in the armed services, law enforcement personnel, fire and medical first-responders, even parents; any whom have stood in the gap to protect others against the onslaught of evil unleashed in the world has no problem answering that question. Love is, in fact, the most effective motivation. Love enables one to look malevolence in the eye and stand for what is right and true, whatever the personal cost. The cost may not be trivial:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
Peter learned that it takes more than passion to walk the path of sacrifice.
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
John 13:37-38
We have to pick a side. This is war, after all.
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8
1 John 3:8 does not mean we do not sin or have lost the capacity to sin. Those who are in Jesus have been redeemed from the controlling power of sin (as long as we desire to be). Surely you can see that if I sin, I am not carrying out the mission of the One described in the passage above from Revelation 19. What am I doing then? Aiding the enemy, making myself less fit for service to the King. Remember? This is war. Such transgressions start to have the stench of treason.
What are we to do? One thing, is recognize we have been issued state-of-the-art equipment. Put it on.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6
A soldier needs to know his mission. Not just generally, but the details of it. Generally, we get the gist of the mission from the written word. Are you in it enough to know the mission outline? The details come through our relationship with the Living Word. We have cutting-edge communications. Are we listening?
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
John 15:14-15, 16:13
We have a Faultless Example; understanding the enemy, communicating constantly with the Commander, encouraging His troops, faithfully executing the mission through giving in the power of love, whatever the cost.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
I am grateful for the guidance You give us! I am grateful for Your love and example!
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. – Proverbs 14:34
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, 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 neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:35-40
Me: Good afternoon, Jesus!
Jesus: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Why did you say, “And the second is like unto it”?
Jesus: Both have their basis in love. Both require an unequivocal attitude; all, all, all. “All your heart” will result in your desiring the most intimate relationship you can have. Not the most you can muster in yourself, but the most you can have in the power of My Spirit as you purpose to submit your heart to Him. “[A]ll your soul” involves your hands and feet and the practical outworking of what you can do. Again, with My empowerment (John 15:5). “[W]ith all your mind”, of course, is talking about what you think of Me (and your neighbor). Is is the truth? Do you see your neighbor as made in My image?
Missionary Sojourn 