Holding To Hope We Profess
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for He is faithful that promised:"
( HEBREWS 10:23)
"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but
when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life."
Proverbs 13: 12
We are told in Proverbs that there are two effects of "hope". When hope is delayed, it sickens the heart. When it is realized it comforts both body and soul.
There are many examples of Saints in the Bible who had heart-sickness.
David, in Psalms 42- 1-3 was in distress as he waited upon the Lord. The answer came as he patiently trusted.
The disciples in Luke 24: 17 were sad and their conversation
revealed the distress of their hearts. Their eyes had been "holden" that they had not recognized their Master as he talked with them.
There are people today who do not recognize the Savior when
he speaks to them. Jesus said the disciples were "slow of understanding".
Many today are also slow of understanding. Until their eyes are opened, they do not recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior.
May we always pray for the "eyes of our understanding" to
be enlightened and opened to see the Lord and hear him
also say "Peace be still". He will open our understanding
that we might understand the Scriptures as in Luke 24: 45.
This should result in our also worshipping the lord with great
joy, praising and blessing God as the disciples in the end
of this chapter.
He is our heart's desire and his wisdom and understanding
when received is a "tree of life".
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. p.'s Inspirations (c) 2001
Hold On To The Good
Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:16 NIV
When we read of the Scripture being inspired, we understand
inspiration means "God breathed" in Hebrew meaning.
God put words in the mouths of prophets and was with them in all they spoke.
They were his spokesman and were qualified as they had received the gift of prophecy
and also wrote words which were accepted as our Holy Bible.
God's words are referred to as "fire" because they purify and burn out the things
in lives that are like unto wood, hay or stubble. Zeal of the Lord is also referred to as
"fire of the Lord," We see this term abused much today as to the purpose of the fire
of the Lord. It can be termed rightfully as a "righteous indignation or zeal", a holy
jealousy for the things that be of God. Fire comes from a word which means burning, flame, or hot.
The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a "flame of fire" out of the
midst of a burning bush which was not consumed. {Exo. 3: 2}
Our God is also referred to as "a flame of fire" or a "consuming fire", as he consumes and destroys sin and the things that be
of sin. He replaces it with light, holiness and the zeal of his Spirit.
In Daniel 7: 9, the throne of the Lord was like "the fiery flame" and the wheels of his throne were like burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him.
God moves in mysterious ways as his ways are not our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts.
His thoughts are higher than ours but his will and ways can easily be determined
by searching the Scriptures. Within the Bible there are recorded words that are
only a reference to words spoken as God inspired the writer to include them in his Holy Writ.
One example is the words of the parable of the rich man who thought and said to himself,
"take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die."
These were his thoughts only, and as such are not a command for us, but only written as
an example while showing thoughts and the foolishness of men laying up treasures
for self and not for God. This is the thoughts of many today who seek success instead of salvation for their souls.
God desires we prosper and be successful, but we are to put Him as first in all we do
to lay up treasures in heaven.
The Spirit of the Lord is within us and all who receive the Lord. His fire can also be
in words of those who proclaim his truths if they are God's words as set forth according to Scripture.
We are commanded not to "quench the Spirit" or put out the fire of the Lord.
His Spirit is referred to as fire when God told Jeremiah he would "make his words as 'fire' in his mouth".
Jer. 5: 14. The word was in Jeremiah as a "burning fire shut up in his bones" and what is
in the heart, proceeds out of the mouth. He declared 'his persecutors would stumble and be
greatly ashamed; their confusion would never be forgotten as they would not prosper'. This
is also for our example. The Word of the Lord is a sure Word. When we have the fire of the
Lord within our hearts, the enemy of our souls shall not prosper.
"Is not my word like as a fire sayeth the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"
(Jer. 23: 29) . The fire of God's word will tear down the strongholds and schemes of the enemy
until unrighteousness is consumed that righteousness of God may prevail.
God's Word tells us "the light of Israel shall be for a fire", and his "Holy One for a flame".
'The eyes of the Lord' as seen by John in Rev. 1: 14 were described as a 'flame
of fire' also. This speaks of His purity as in Habakkuk 1: 13. Fire is an
emblem of the purity of God and will destroy the works of darkness.
May we test those things that proclaim to be of God in this day and age,
despise not prophecy, and know God's Word is a sure word.
It is for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness to be more like Christ or as one discipled by God's Word.
A disciple is one who follows the Lord in all his ways and does not despise his discipline.
We must hold on to the good as commanded and be stedfast and
unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'S Inspirations (c) 2002
|
