Repent and Be Saved

Judges 10:15 "And the children of Israel said unto the Lord,We have sinned:do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee;deliever us only,we pray thee,this day".

Repentence Starts with the heart,an acknowledgement of the truth of what we have done and a deliberate turning away from the sin.Then we must make a conscience decision we will love the Lord with all our heart,soul and mind serving Him only.This love will be evident in our obedience to His word,and our love for one another.

Many time we call out to the Lord to save us from situation or a circumstance.We make various promises to God saying if you get me out of this or that I will serve you with all my heart.But once delievered, we often times fall back into the same old routine, once again forgetting God and our promise to Him.In our story today the children of Israel once again turned from God to worship idols,and when they found themselves in trouble they once again cried out to the one true and living God.But this time God told them to call on the god's they had been serving.But the Children of Israel continued to cry out even confessing their sins,they turn from their wicked ways and was seeking the salvation of the Lord.

A broken and contrite heart the Lord can't deny;The Israelites put away the forgien gods and turned to the Lord.Like a sensitive mother who can't bear to hear her baby's cry, God's heart melted,He forgave their rebelliousness, and rescued them once again from their enemies.God always hears and responds to repentant people.However the desire of every believer should be to walk closley with God moment by moment,not just in times of a crises.

Prayer Meeting

2Chronicles 20:4"And Judah gathered themselves together,to ask help of the Lord:even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord".

The sudden news of a great invasion came to Jehoshaphat, and ,like a true man of God, he set himself to seek the Lord,and proclaimed a fast.The people came together with all speed,and the whole nation earnestly cried to the Lord for His aid.

This chapter, which begins with danger ,fear,and trouble all around, ends with joy,peace, quiet,and rest.Two words seem to stand out in this chapter,prayer and praise,twin sisters which should always go together.One word links them here,faith."Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord".His good example was soon followed."Judah gathered themselves together,to ask help of the Lord:even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord."What a prayer meeting, a real one a united one,with a definite object and the king presiding!Notice the prayer in verse (5).It is a pattern one.Jehoshaphat felt his weakness and need;but he recognized that God is all, and over all,and has all power and might.He brings forward every plea and argument.He appeals to God's power and promises,to His justice and love,and winds up with simple yet prevailing faith in God himself.

We must realize that we are children of the King,let us walk victoriously in faith through prayer and praise,placing all the  responsibility on God,and just look to him,wait for him and know that he will answer."If my people who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray,turn from their wicked ways ,seek my face then will I hear from heaven and heal their land".

Lean On Me!

Leviticus 4:29a "He shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering",

Here we have an emblem of the way inwhich a sacrifice becomes available for the offerer.The same ceremony is commanded in other verses;it is therefore inportant and instructive.The question with many souls is how to obtain an interest in Christ so as to be saved by Him.There is no question more important to be asked.It is certain that this is absolutely needful; but is has been fearfully neglected by many.Christ death would be in vain if none believed.

The intent of this symbol; it was a confession of sin.It was a consent to the plan of subsitution,as Christ took our place on the cross.It was an acceptance of the victim,for he alone is acceptable to God;and may well be acceptable to us.It was a believing transfer of sin.It was a dependence-leaning on the scarifice for our salvation.The offerer is to come just as he is,and to have the sin removed by the sacrifice.It is not the amount of faith that shall save,jesus said the faith the size of a mustard seed.The salvation come from leaning totally on the power of the sacrifice.The weak hand that grabs hold of Christ ,hold just as much of him as the strong hand,we just need to make sure we grab him.

It is with faith that we take hold of Christ ,but it is with total submission that we lean on him.Come then, dear hearer,whether saint or sinner,and lean hard on Jesus.He taketh away the sin of the world.Trust Him with your sin and it is forever taken away.It is not a matter of what you can't do,but more of what Christ can do.Die into the life of Christ;let him be all in all while you are nothing at all.Lean on Jesus,he is our strong tower.

Contentment with God:

Judges 9:9 "But the olive tree said unto them,Should I leave my fatness,wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?"

This story teaches us that temptations will come to us all,however sweet, or useful, or fruitful,even as they came to the fig,the olive, and the vine.These temptations may take the shape of friendly honors; if not a crown,yet some form of preferment or power may be the bribe.The trees were under God's government and wanted no king;but in this story they "went forth",and so quitted their true place.Then they sought to be like men,forgetting that God had not made them to be conformed to a fallen race.Revolting themselves, they strove to win over those better trees which had remained faithful.No wonder they chose the olive,so rich and honored; for it would give their kingdom respectability to have such a king;but the olive wisely declined,and gave its reason.

The question to be asked,"should I",many to obtain a higher wage have left holy companionships,and sacred opportunities for hearing the word and growing in grace.Many have lost their sabbaths, quitted a soul-feeding ministry,and fallen among worldlings,to their own sorrowful loss.Such persons are foolish as the poor Indians who gave up gold for beads.To gain riches at the cost of your soul is always a curse. To increase your business so that you cannot attend week night services,is to become really poorer;to give up heavenly pleasure,and receive earthly cares in exchange is a sorry trade.Don't get so caught up that you think the calling and vocation to which God has called you to is a small insignificant calling, God's will is the best calling you can have,to be faith to it is better than any treasure the wold could offer. God often places great blessing in little things,after all it just take th efaith the size of a mustard seed to open all th eriches of heaven.

In our story a set of trees wanted a king and they went to the olive tree seeking a king,but the olive tree was content with the position which God have given it,to be honored and serve both God and man so the olive tree turned down the request and instead chose to be content with God.We too are in a position to serve both God and man ,let us be content with God and wait on him to give the increase.

At The Cross!

Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should Glory,save the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,by whom the world is crucified unto me,and I unto the world."

Paul vigorously rebuked those who went aside from the doctrine of the cross(vs.12-13).When we rebuke others we must make sure that we ourselves are going the right way.So he says "God forbid that I should glory,save the cross".Our own resolve to stand on the truth,when carried out is a very powerful argument against opponents.Paul gets heated when he thinks about those who oppose the cross, and yet he has reasons which he states in the latter words of this text.

See Paul knows his Lord was Crucified;"The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ".He mentions the atoning death of Jesus in the plainest terms.Though the cross was shameful,he give full reverence and honor to him who hung on the cross saying "our Lord Jesus Christ".He refers to the doctrine of free justification and full atonement by the death of Jesus upon the cross.In this did he glory,as it was a display of devine character(God was in Christ 2 cor.5:19).He saw it as the manifestation of the love of the savior,and the putting away of sin by atonement, giving hope,peace, joy, touching hearts, changing lives, and ensuring heaven to all believers.Paul also seen the world crucified;"The world is crucified unto me".Its character condemned,its judgment condemned, its teachings despised,its treasures,pleasure,honors all rejected.Its pursuits and spirits cast out. Its threats and blandishments made to be nothing and it in itself, soon to pass away.Then Paul seen himself as being crucified;"and I unto the world".To the world Paul was no better than a man crucified.If faithful, a christian can expect to be treated much like our savior was, bullied, ridiculed, misrepresented,despised,lied on and  falsely accused.Let us glory in the cross,,because it exposes the false hood of the world's glory,honor and power!

The crucifiction is the subject of glory,because of him who was crucified and the blessing we recieved because of his crucifiction on the cross.The innocent died for the guilty; we were pardoned;and we became dead to the world and all its ways.Brethren the cross of christ is our crown,the reproach of Christ our riches,and the shame of Christ is our glory,so be crucified with Christ that you might also glory with Him....

Know Better- Do Better!

Ephesians 4:20-21"But ye have not so learned Christ;if so be that ye have heard him,and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus".

The distinction between the Christian and others:"but ye".There must be separation as long as "the world is the world."The means of this distinction is our discipleship.We have learned Christ and learned him in a different way from that which satisfies many who profess to know him.We have not so learned Christ as to be able to profess his name and yet continue in sin.We are converted into learners and are under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.How we learn is a test question.Some have learned Christ and yet are not saved;others have not so learned him but are truly his disciples.

Our Lesson,to learn Christ,more than learning doctrine,precepts,or ceremony.More than knowing about Christ or learning from Christ.This learning includes several forms of knowledge.To know Christ as your personal savior.To know his nature and treat him accordingly;to know His office and how to use it.To know his finished work for God and for mankind.To know his influence over men,and to know Christ that we might live like him.We have not learned to remain in sin, professing to know him who saves us from sin.To excuse sin,because of his atonement,or to feel a freedom to sin because we have been pardoned, to even commit sin in the name of Christ.We have not learned that we cannot conquer sin and to sit down under the dominion of temptation.To profess reverence for his name and character,and then think little of the truth which he reveals.We profess to be His,which means we have been taught His words, by his spirit.We have been born of His spirit so we are embodied in his life and character.See we not only learned of Jesus,but we have learned Jesus,and knowing him we know truth, for He is the truth.

Many who profess Christ have not put on the new man,they have just dressed up the old man in some new clothes."If so be that you have learned the truth of Christ,put off the old man,the evils of your outward converse only, and put on the new conversation over the old nature as a sheepskin over a wolfish nature; For without removing the old man it is impossible to walk in the newness of the new life in Christ. When you know better,Do better...........

Child of Light And The works of Darkness

Ephesians 5:11 "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,but rather reprove them".

Directions on how to live while here below are very needful.We constantly come in contact with ungodly men;this is unavoidable.But here we are taught to avoid such communion with them if it means becoming partakers of their evil deeds.three truths are mentioned here,evil works are unfruitful;they are works of darkness; and they deserve reproof.we must have no fellowship with them,neither at anytime or in any manner.

What is forbidden? "fellowship with the works of darkness".Now this fellowship can manifest its self in many ways.It can be by personally committing sins or by joining with others doing wrong.By teaching one to do wrong in word or by action.By constraining,commanding,or tempting one to do wrong;by threat, request, persuasion, etc.By provoking someone,or neglecting to rebuke ones wrong doing at the start. By conniving at sin, tolerating,concealing or making it welcome in your life.By commending defending and excusing the wrong already done and fighting those who would expose,denounce and punish it.We must be careful not to tolerate even the smallest amout of wrong doing in our lives.We must be above any kind of reproach,"don't let your good be evil spoken of".We must reprove the ways of darkness and those who would walk in that darkness.We must declare its wrong, and our hatred of it.With conviction,As the holy spirit reproves the world of sin,we must aim at proving the world guilty by our holy life and bold witness.And Conversion,this is to be our continual goal with all we see in darkness,we must reprove as to win the lost to Christ.

A man lost in darkness will follow any one out of the darkness, who not only has a light but will turn it on.If you get comfortable in the darkness,you may never turn on the light to lead others out of the darkness.It is our duty to be clear of another man's sin;as a imitator of God and his child, and as one who has come out of the darkness into the marvelous light of the Lord.If our fellowship is with God, we must quit the ways of darkness altogether.God is light  and in him is NO darkness at ALL...........