The tribulations that people go through are very real, and yes, at times they are the result of bad decisions. We see the divide infecting even our nation today, in the rancor demonstrated in politics, even in news casting and a host of other things. There is plenty of indignant self righteousness going around, and even the best of the best can get caught up in that without realizing the seriousness of measuring people by self evaluation, or basing the character of an individual by using self as a measuring rod. Romans 12:9 speaks loudly this morning. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil: cleave to that which is good.” Evaluations are often based upon thinking outside of God’s counsel. It is based in the emotions of he natural man and we must avoid that in our life. Dissimulation includes the idea of despise or hate bitterly. It is that which divides even believers, and can be rooted in evil, but it is often the flesh’s desire to be separated from another rather than being joined together. A powerful word, none the less. Proverbs 15:21-23 speaks well this morning. “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walks uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”

It is made simple when we read these words in Colossians 4:4. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. We also read in Mark 9:50 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another.” The testimony of grace is often cast off in the heat of moments in time, and wisdom falls in the street of natural thinking. Wisdom comes from above and we need to learn as James instructs us to be in James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, and slow to speak, slow to wrath.” The verse comes to mind where we read, “A fool utters all his mind, but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards.” Proverbs 29:11

This morning Proverbs 4:29 is a great admonishment from God. “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out it are the issues of life.” We speak in hast or in anger, and we do not quiet our hearts to think with God and the tongue can become a weapon of destruction, separating even friends. Don’t allow words to slip out of your mouth, that you will soon regret. Let the Holy Spirit of God, be the governor of your tongue, and let your words be edifying, lest ye trample underfoot, the love of Christ and the grace that sustains us as we walk in this world.

Romans 3:19-20 speaks this morning. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” I sit here rejoicing this morning, that what the law could not do, Jesus Christ did. as we read in Romans 7:24-8:8 “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” What a glorious provision we have in Christ. By the law comes the knowledge of sin, and we read in Romans 7:1 that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he lives. Chapter 7 is glorious and we see that in verse 4. “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Might be good to read John 15. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our mortal members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” We have been baptized into Christ Hallelujah! Paul in verse 7 asks, “Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not know sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shall not covet, But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought all manner of concupiscence, (Strong desire, lust) for with the law sin was dead.” Why the law? “But sin, taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.” The strong desires of the flesh is what concupiscence is all about. Romans 7:6 is all about “For now ye are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Romans 6:7-9 says, “For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” Romans 15:56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.”

I love it this morning, after all that Paul by inspiration wrote in Romans 7, he says in Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:8 says very powerfully. “They that are in the flesh, cannot please God.” I rejoice this morning that in Romans 8:9 there is a powerful provision for us. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Two critical verses this morning. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 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.” vs14-15 Then we have this also. “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heir, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with together.” 16-17 Are you listening this morning? Do you have assurance this morning that ye are in Christ and Christ is in you.?

In humility this morning I write, thankful and rejoicing in the fact that God’s Son, Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the cross for my sin. By the law no flesh is justified, but by the hearing by faith, righteousness is imputed unto me, and please listen to these verses. “What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him, also freely (not something you earn) give us all things. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or peril, or sword?” In verse 37 we are told, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Now Paul makes it personal. “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separated us from the love of God, (I love how he says us, not just himself), which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Have a glorious day today, and rejoice if you name is written down in heaven Jesus did not come to condemn us, but by the sacrifice of Himself, he made a way for all of us sinners to come to God by faith, which imputed to us by God because His Son died in our place, but death could not hold Him. I am so thankful for grace today! Do you or have you accepted the grace of God through His Son, Jesus Christ! Do it today, and then tell someone.

Simply Said: (In this devotional I quote a few verses twice. It is deliberate!)

                Jacob had a dream at Bethel and the dream came while he was sleeping with stones as a pillow, in Genesis 28:11. While sleeping he sees a ladder going up into heaven and  beholds angels of God going up and down between heaven and earth and behold the Lord stood above it. Now listen to this promise: “I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the just of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and in thy seed shall of the families of he earth be blessed. And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again unto this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.” What a great promise.!

        Now look at Hebrews 13:5. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” What a great and precious promise that is unto us who believe and know the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave Abraham a promise, and Abraham was a man of faith. Yes he had weaknesses just like we do, but because it was God who promised, He kept Abraham and fulfilled all his will in and through Him……. and God gives us a promise that He will never, no never leave us nor forsake us.” What a great promise. “So that we can say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” In verse 12-14 and I know that there is a tendency for all of us to build a commitment to ourselves where ever we live, but listen and rejoice. “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing our reproach. For he have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”

                Seeing that we are speaking of Abraham, look at Romans 4:16 and love it. “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which of the faith of Abraham, the father of us all. (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. In verse 20 he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuaded that , what he had promised he was able also to perform. Therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. “ As we assemble these promises, and understand the faithfulness of God, our faith is strengthened. Add this verse to the lexicon of faith. Verse 23. “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that is was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” I am rejoicing this morning because of these precious promises. God says in Romans 4:13-16: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law works wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which of if the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.” I close with this today:

        Romans 4:20-25 speaks about Abraham, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that is was imputed to him; but for us also, the whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Glory and honor belong to God, for it is Him who works within us to will and do of his good pleasure.

Wisdom is justified of her children. The words we speak have power to build up, or tare down a soul. Gracious words even in correction are like medicine to the soul. Ecclesiastes 10:12 says it well. “The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” No wonder the admonition of the Lord is that we be slow to speak and swift to hear. Discernment is the foundational rock we stand on. Let the love and compassion of Christ be your guide and the words of your mouth will follow His example.

Ephesians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 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.” What an amazing truth to grasp this morning: God calls out unto you, you respond often as a choice we make, but it was God and is God that works in you. Paul writes unto the believers at Rome and says: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Neh, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

I sat here this morning, writing a poem, being reminded of the goodness of God toward mankind, and the promise of faith, the cornerstone of our faith. 1^st Corinthians 3:11 says it well, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” We can rehearse the law all we want, but we must understand that no man is justified by the law. Do we not understand as it says in Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” WOW! When we are objective when we examine the law contained in the commandments, and the law of atonement for sin, no one was justified without the sacrifice. Paul even writes in verse 19, “For I through the law and dead to the law, that I might live unto God!” Hallelujah! What is the difference? Galatians 4:4-6 says it well this morning. “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. To redeem, (purchase out of the slave market of sin, just like Hosea was asked by God to take a woman as wife, whom had many adulteries, and yet God asked Hosea to buy her back out of the slave market. God used this act of kindness to this adulterous woman to teach a lesson to Israel. Read Hosea 4

        Why was the law given? That all would be guilty before God. In Galatians 3:21 we read these powerful words this morning. “Is the law then against the promise of God? God forbid: for if here had been a law given which could have given life; verily righteousness would have been by the law. So what was the purpose of God in giving the law? In verse 24 we get to understand, that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law we know the knowledge of sin. As I read these verses this morning my heart is rejoicing. I am thankful for the law, but I live the life Christ brought to us by faith! “But now the righteousness of God without  the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is not difference. The sacrifice of Christ, the just dying for the unjust, made a way for all of us to come to Him by faith. Verse 23 and 24 sum it up well. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Jesus in the next verse is the total satisfaction for our sin! Hallelujah!

        Hebrews 10:1 teaches us that: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. I am already rejoicing as I read the next verse! Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. Verse 5 of Hebrews 10. Then in 10:10 we see, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. I close this morning with this. “Verse 12-14: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” If you have not received Christ into you life, pray this simple prayer this morning. Lord Jesus, come into my heart today, forgive me of my sin and save my soul. If you do that send me a note telling me. I will pray you be led where ever you are, that you would find a place to fellowship with God in truth!

The glory of God is discovered each time we approach the throne of God. “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where isthe place of my rest? For all those thingshath mine own hand made, and all those thingshave been, saith the LORD: but to this manwill I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:1 We so much need to humble ourselves before the Lord God Almighty, as we seek to walk before Him as we live this life. “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” 1^st Timothy 3:16 When we go to Revelation 4, John was invited to come up into heaven and be shown the things which must be hereafter, in verse 1,after he had an encounter with the resurrected Lord. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the first and last, I am he that was dead: and, behold, I live for evermore, Amen: Rev. 1;17-18 Listen carefully and observe: Starting in Revelation 4:2“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like an emerald. And around about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. The first beast was like a lion, and the second like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

                Our human limitations overwhelm us as we see this scene in heaven, and in the last few verses of Chapter 4:10, “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat upon the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throng saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” In the events unfolding in heaven, John saw a book written, it actually was a sealed book, sealed with seven seals. John then saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” Now John will see whom he is looking for: “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.”

                The four and twenty elders along with the four beasts, fell down before the Lamb, and I paraphrase here, and they sung a new song. “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” At this point John hears the voice of many angles, beasts, elders and the numbers are beyond description. Ten thousand times then thousand, and thousands of thousands. (To much to even comprehend.) Saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” I think of the song, “I Can Only Imagine,” because these are so profound and we see but see not. The glory surrounding our Lord Jesus Christ exceeds our expectations and it is not comprehended as we view from afar off. But the glory of God and the Lamb of God opens our eyes to the glorious throne of God and quickly we are humbled.  When Jesus was born, his place was a humble manger in a village called Bethlehem, and yet when he ascended up into heaven there is none like Him. In heaven his is found in the midst of the assemble gathered together in heaven. John saw what was going on, in glory, and of course was overwhelmed. This morning the one who was slain, paying for the sin of the whole world, becomes the center of attention. Nothing distracts anyone from Him, The Son of God, who was slain for you and me. Listen and think with God. We look through a glass darkly, for us who believe, but when we get there, it will be face to face. The fruit of the Spirit will be eternal, the devil will be cast into a lake of fire in Revelation 20:10 Imagine with me this morning. There will be a time coming where there will be no doubt, for the Lord Jesus Christ as obtained a place for all who believe in Him, the one who overcame death and the grave, and ascended into heaven and reigns even now, for death could not hold him nor will it hold those that believe. If you would like to imagine, imagine this, Christ died for you, was buried for you, rose from the dead for you, ascended up into heaven for you, sits beside God for you, gaining victory over sin and the devil for you, and invites you to come to Him who calls you, to receive eternal life. It is impossible to imagine heaven, if we cannot believe that Christ came so that you would have a place prepared for you for all eternity, if you could only imagine. Ask Christ into your heart today, and imagine with me how glorious it will be!

Are you rejoicing this morning having just awoken to a glorious day to be alive? Are your affections set upon Him who called you and saved you? Rejoice this morning if you name is written down in glory! Has the Holy Spirit quickened you to feed your life the Spirit filled Word Of God, that ye might be a partaker of that which is ordained of all believers to be the sustenance to sustain us in this world of sin and death? Listen and rejoice this morning. We have a tendency to consider those in the Bible as super hero’s of faith, when in actuality they were and are men and women just as we are. Listen to these words this morning! God gives us an example in Hebrews 6 that is profitable for us today. “For the earth which drinks in the rain the comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by which it is dressed, receives blessing from God. But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned.” I love each time I read the word and come to a little three letter word that introduces hope and faith to the soul of men. “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence in the full assurance of hope, unto the end.” We as believers are called to an eternal position in Christ, with the eternal Word of God as a provision, that we might fulfill the will of God in our lives, going forward daily, and not retreating into the fleshly living of those who reject the faithfulness of God, and are lost in a dying world. Our call is individual, one by one, into the same hope of the gospel that Christ revealed to the disciples, both when he was alive and after he was offered up as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God.

This morning I want to concentrate on the result of diligence in our walk with God. ‘That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” The same Spirit of God that inspired those who were men of faith, and diligent to fulfill the will of God, speaking forth those words spoken unto them, before Christ came, and testified to the truth of God operating in the hearts and minds of men, through prophesy, instructions given as received from God, of ordinances for sacrifices, of building the tabernacle in the wilderness. And the list goes on, and we too, men and women of faith, move forward receiving with meekness the engrafted Word which is able to save your souls, as James said in James 1:21B. Hearing promises and inheriting them is actually two different things. Men heard Christ speak but never gave heed to what he said. Others heard and were quickened by the Spirit and received and believed in Him. Listen to verse 13 of Chapter 6: “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” All the promise of God in Him are yea and amen. Not nay, but yea! “Whereby are given unto us, exceeding great and precious promises that we might be partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2nd Peter 1:4 Through the promise of God, Abraham went forth and yes, he fulfilled the will of God. Did he err, of course, but was God faithful unto him and brought forth a son of promise, hallelujah! Yes! Listen to His Word and believe. “And so after he patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by and oath: That by two immutable things, in which is was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for a refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” These are powerful verses in Chapter 6 of the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews.

Actually this morning in Hebrews 6:18, God made a promise and will stand by that promise, recognizing that the Triune God brought forth this counsel to the effect that the soul might find a sure refuge in the Lord Jesus. This counsel is immutable. It does not change. And God in wisdom confirmed it with an oath. In other words, God confirmed the immutability of his promise as one who would come forth having made a promise and confirmed it by the highest authority. In other words God swore by the authority of Himself, who cannot lie. This presents to us the reality of not just a hope, but a refuge type of hope. One we can rest in and be assured of, knowing of whom the promise was made. The writer puts it this way. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor for the soul both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.”

Jesus entered into death, and rose from the dead, the entered into heaven as our High Priest. Have you ever invited Christ into your life? If you have, do you have the confidence of your salvation, by growing up in Him, through His Word? I invite you to receive Christ today. All the promises of God in Him are yea and amen. Come to Christ today, and ask Him into your heart, believing He died for you and paid the payment for your sin. It is glorious to know Him, Jesus, and to walk each day of our life with Him, knowing that He holds us in His hands and sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Say a simple prayer this morning, “Lord Jesus, come into my heart and save me. I ask you to forgive me sin and receive me today as one of your own, in Jesus name, Amen!

As I write this morning, I am thankful that God meets me each morning early most days, and I have an opportunity to fellowship with Him alone, before I face the day ahead. I am learning continually, that the admonition of the Lord is powerful in moments. A disciple, yes a disciple of Christ sits under the authority of the Savior who gives us those things we need in the Scriptures. We need to continue learning and understanding the things that belong to us that come by faith in Christ. The writer to the Hebrew believers writes powerfully of Christ in this portion of Scripture. In verse 7 of Hebrews 5 we read. “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death; and was heard in that he feared;” Christ in the garden cried out to his Father, and remember, even his disciples because of the heaviness of the hour, could not stay awake to pray with him, and he was alone in that Garden while his adversary sought to oppress and weary Christ at this dark moment in time. (My thought: It was a glorious time for us who believe, seeing that Christ in his humanity was like unto us, in that he feared.) God in his call upon His Son, ordained these moments in time, where the high priesthood of Christ would be revealed. Verse 5 of Chapter 7 says: So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou are my Son, today I have begotten thee.” In Hebrews 6:17-20 we read these powerful words. “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it with an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Back in Chapter 5:

                Little words in scripture hold so much value. Wuest writes about the difference between apo which means from the edge of, and ek which means from within. Wuest writes: The messiah prayed to saved out from within death. If he had used ek the Messiah’s prayer would have been to be saved from death. He also stated that Christ was to be made sin, and that the fellowship between Father and Son would be broken. Our Lord fully expected to be raised out from among the dead. Hence there was no need of such a petition. So we read in Chapter 5:6 “As he saith in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” What a powerful portion of scripture this is! God put his Son in the place of flesh and blood, and we read in verse 8, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” The eternal plan from eternity past is being revealed in time by the Messiah who had come and who suffered in fulfilling the will of God, praying with tears ALONE, because the weight of the hour was so severe that the disciples could not stay awake.

                Here comes the best part: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Obedience is imperative for the believer to have assurance. I do not guess here that any can say who loses their salvation, for salvation is by grace and grace alone, and there is one lawgiver, and one Savior who paid for the sin of the world, Our High Priest, Christ Jesus, who in our worst moments does not stop being our Savior. Christ made a once for all sacrifice for sin, and as many as come unto him, he saves and loses nothing. Listen to these verses this morning and rejoice. In verse 9-14 we read, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation, unto all them that obey him; called of God, an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not strong meat. For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

   So often we have expectations that seem right in our own eyes, but God has other plans for us. David had detected that Saul had come to the wilderness of Ziph, with Abner and three thousand men. David sent out spies in 1^st Samuel 26:4 and with Abner discovered the place where Saul lay. In verse 6 David said the Ahimelech, and Abishai, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp? Abishai said, I will go down with thee.” In our life at times our enemy must be met head on. Saul was sleeping in a trench, with his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster, but Abner and the people lay round about him. Opportunity was before David, and Abishai said, . “God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him a second time.” David replied, “Destroy him not, for who can stretch his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless.” When we have an adversary in the wilderness of this life, for at times we are there and our adversary can be very hostile. And in the process David prophesied: “The Lord shall smite him: or his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed:” Integrity like that is not frequently found these days. How many were like David? Abishai, stood with David, but would have him do evil in the sight of the Lord.

              I remember a day early on in my ministry, where a pastor was speaking evil of me. I had never met him, let alone had I never spoke to him, so I took one man with me, and went to his office. I confronted him about the accusations, and left with sense of dignity and integrity, knowing I had done what the Lord asked me to do. I heard nothing more, but the man was proud and arrogant, but God was present with me. Humility of spirit always wins any battles no matter what actually occurs. They crucified the Lord, but He rose from the dead.

       David took Saul’s spear and curse of water, and got away and then David stood on the top of a hill and David cried to the people, to Abner the son of Ner, saying. Answer thou not, Abner? Abner was Saul’s mighty man. Then Abner answered and said, “Who art thou that cries to the King.” I’ll make this short, David said that Abner was worthy to die, in verse 26, because ye have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster.” And Saul knew David’s voice. Then Saul said, in verse 21, “I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will do thee no harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” The integrity of David far exceeded the integrity of Saul. Saul I am sure without knowing it, even prophesied, saying, “Blessed be thou, my son David, thou shalt do great things, and also shalt still prevail.”

       The Philistines are about to go up against Saul, and Saul prays and God answered him nothing. So he goes to a median, because Saul saw the host of the Philistines; he was afraid and his heart trembled. He seeks the Lord, no answer, neither by dreams, nor by Urin, no by prophets. So he seeks a woman who had a familiar spirit, and Saul disguised, went up and he said in 1^st Samuel 28:8 “I pray thee, divine unto me by a familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.” After promising the woman that no harm would come, the woman asks whom he wanted called up. “Bring me up Samuel.” Samuel comes up and says, “Wherefore does thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thy enemy:” Samuel also told him that Israel would be delivered into the hands of the Philistines, and that his sons would be with Samuel tomorrow.” Sin leads unto sin is the story we are reading here. Saul will certainly die, and David will reign in his place by the will of God. In Chapter 30, David had been sent away by the Philistines because they feared him, So he goes to Ziklag and found it burned and the Amalekites had taken the women captive, which included 2 of his wives. The Jews with him were ready to stone him because they grieved, But David in verse 6 encouraged himself in the Lord his God. What do we do in those times of trouble? Do we encourage ourselves in the Lord? Do we rehearse the promises of God in our mind and heart and hold fast to truth? He finds an Egyptian and finds out about who burned Ziklag, and pursues and destroys the Amalekites. And they recovered all. All the historical aspects of the lives of the Israel people recorded in the Old Testament is for our benefit. Learn of God, and humble yourself before Him and He will lead you in the right way. God’s way! There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25